Tolgus Tin

Tolgus Mill, New Portreath Road, Redruth, TR16 4HN
Tel: (01209) 203280
Email: enquiries@tolgus-tin.org
Web: www.facebook.com/tolgustin

Tin Streaming Mill

To visitors from across the Tamar the word tin is almost as inseparable from Cornwall's history as the word pasty. Tolgus Tin is the last of the large tin stream works, the earliest form of mining, in Cornwall. Rescued by various groups of volunteers, this scheduled Ancient Monument contains much intriguing original equipment and machinery, gradually being restored to working condition. The sights, sounds and smells of Tolgus take you back to the gritty era when tin was as important to the county's economy as tourism is today.

The mill as it is seen today starts with the return of the gold-mining Uren brothers from Australia towards the end of the 1860's. They acquired sets of Cornish stamps in the Portreath Valley to crush the ore dug from shallow mines and waste dumps in the area. The Stewart family, relations of the Urens, ran Tolgus Stream works from the 19th century, and in 1928 their old cost book company was wound up and Tolgus Tin Stamping Company was registered. But long before the final demise the importance of the heritage was recognized. Tolgus Tin was the first major industrial heritage attraction to open in Cornwall (1969). The Stewarts remained at Tolgus until 1970 when the company was taken over by a small consortium. In 1976 Madame Tussaud's acquired the Company which then became Tolgus Tin with the purpose of preserving and developing both the mill and the methods used in tin recovery. In 1986 the site was leased and then sold to Concorde Minerals who had the intention of running the mill as a full commercial tin mill. The intention was to build a large modern mill. With a dramatic collapse in the price of tin, work ceased and the site was sold to the present owners. Leased for a few years to the Trevithick Trust, the mill is now back in the hands of the owners who envisage a long and honorable future for this unique part of the Cornish heritage.

Tolgus is an all-weather visitor centre, with level walking acceptable for wheelchair access.

Location

Two miles north of Redruth on the B3300 next to the Cornwall Gold.

Portreath       Porthtowan       Redruth       South Crofty Mine       Cornwall Gold       East Pool Mine

Heartlands       King Edward Mine Museum       Moseley Museum       Redruth Old Cornwall Society Museum