New Chapter in King Edward Mine History

King Edward Mine near Camborne has received a grant of £18,998 from LEADER funding towards the creation of a new community café which will open on Saturday 15 April.
The historic King Edward Mine in the heart of Cornwall’s industrial landscape, is about to write a new chapter in the history of the site. The final stages of a new café are close to completion which will mark an important milestone in the conservation and regeneration of the site thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund’ Challenge Fund for Historic Buildings at Risk and now also LEADER funding, part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).
The café is part of a major £1.7m project at the site to conserve the world’s most complete 19th / early 20th century mine. The majority of the work at King Edward Mine is focussed on the core buildings which retain their appearance and character of about 1907, when Camborne School of Mines equipped the mine’s Mill with the most up to date surface machinery of the time. The addition of a café will enhance the visitor experience at the site and generate income that will help make the site self-sufficient which is essential for its future.
The new developments at King Edward Mine will make it a gateway to the Great Flat Lode Mineral Tramway, a 6.5 mile (10.5 km) circular loop around Carn Brea and through some of Cornwall’s most spectacular mining landscape. People will be able to park for free at the site before enjoying a walk or cycle around the famous Mineral Tramway or a visit to the award-winning museum.
Kevin Baker, Chair of KEM Ltd said: “This final bit of funding towards the realisation of the community café at King Edward Mine will help to create year-round employment in the local area, attract new visitors to this important heritage site and help generate income to support the operation of the site by the charity.”
Julian German, Cornwall Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy, said: “This is a fantastic project which is not only celebrating Cornwall’s industrial heritage but ensuring we can enjoy it for many more years to come. I look forward to visiting and enjoying the new café as well as the impressive landscape”
Councillor Jonathan McCulloch and Chairman of the Coast to Coast Local Action Group said: “The Coast to Coast Local Action Group is delighted to support the work at King Edward Mine. The Local Action Group exists to support rural business diversification, tourism and to safeguard the heritage of Mid Cornwall. King Edward Mine has existed for well over 100 years, with these renovations we hope the story of the mine will continue for at least another century.”
Visitors to Kind Edward Mine can look forward to a programme of free events and activities which will be available throughout the year. The café which will open on April 15th will be run by Cornwall based company Kitchenside Company who already have two excellent establishments in Looe and Mount Edgcumbe.

Note to editors
About King Edward Mine

King Edward Mine is owned by Cornwall Council and leased to King Edward Mine Ltd, a not-for-profit company and charity. King Edward Mine is located to the south of Camborne, between the villages of Beacon and Troon, towards the western end of the Great Flat Lode valley.

Following the establishment of Camborne Mining School in the late 1880s, the eastern section of South Condurrow Mine (1864-1896) was leased from the Pendarves Estate and renamed King Edward Mine (KEM) in 1901. Three years later after the mine was equipped with new surface machinery, buildings and a new Mill, it was successfully operating as a training facility (above and below ground) for students of Camborne School of Mines, the main practical mine training school in the country.

The complex of structures making up the core area of the King Edward Mine site are unique in that they were almost all constructed during a single development phase (1897 – 1907), each for a specific function. It is extremely rare that most of the original buildings have survived without significant modification. For this reason, many have been accorded designation as Grade II* Listed Buildings (the associated South Condurrow stamps engine house is Listed at Grade II, and the nearby Fortescue’s Shaft pumping and winding engine houses on Grenville United Mine are Scheduled Monuments). The site is also a key element of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site in recognition of the very important role it played in the development of the Cornish mining industry.

In 1974, Camborne School of Mines relocated to Pool, however King Edward Mine continued to be partly used for mining tuition until 2005. During this period, part of the site which included the important mill complex containing rare surviving collections of original mine machinery and rare milling equipment, became redundant. A volunteer group was set up in 1987 to try to preserve these now redundant structures, to restore the mill and in time to open it as a museum, which they achieved in 2001.

In 2005 the team of volunteers became incorporated as King Edward Mine Ltd., a not for profit company limited by guarantee and later, were also registered as a charity. In 2009, to safeguard the site’s future, Cornwall Council purchased King Edward Mine from the Pendarves Estate and begun a process of master planning, involving the local community and stakeholders. This project, alongside the refurbishment of two buildings to create 9 high quality work spaces (a project funded by the European Regional Development Fund), will secure the long-term future of King Edward Mine, now the oldest complete mine site left in Cornwall.

Contact details
Rebecca Wills – Devlin
Communities Communications and Engagement Specialist (West)
Strategy and Engagement
Customer and Support Services
Cornwall Council

Tel: 01872 323043
Mob: 07528933344
rwills-devlin@cornwall.gov.uk

Cornwall Council
County Hall, Truro TR1 3AY
Media news releases at: www.cornwall.gov.uk

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