Continuing the mining theme, just along the road from
Pendeen are the neighbouring villages of Botallack and Kenidjack. The mining landscape between the villages and
the coast path is some of the best in Cornwall, and includes the remains the
engine house Wheal Edward, part of the Wheal Owles Mine Sett. In 1893 Wheal Owles was the scene of a tragic
accident, when water came rushing in from a flooded neighbouring mine, a common
hazard in the Cornish mines, which often extended far out under the sea. 20 men were drowned in the accident, almost
half the men who were down the mine at the time. The Botallack Count House Workshop, owned by
the National Trust but free to enter, has information on mining in the area and on Poldark, as well as a
cafe, all housed in a building which performed an essential role as the place
where the miners went to collect their pay. The nearby Crowns Engine Houses in Botallack
occupy a dramatic position towards the lower end of the cliff, and featured in
the latest Poldark series. Kenidjack Headland is home to an Iron Age cliff castle, and there are
Bronze Age cairns in the area. The views of Cape Cornwall from here and, on a
clear day the Scilly Islands, are spectacular. If all this is not enough to tempt walkers
out onto the headland, birding enthusiasts will have the added pleasure of
keeping an eye out for peregrine falcons and Cornish choughs, identifiable by
their red bills.
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