Heartlands

“Heartlands” has transformed the mining heritage in the county of Cornwall into a huge "cultural playground". At its epicentre stand the winding gear and engine house above the Robinson’s Shaft. Monuments to early industrialisation, (including a Cornish pumping engine and a gigantic boiler), tell visitors about the history of metal mining in the region. On a 270° film screen visitors travel back to a time when Cornwall not only exported the then precious tin, but also technology and highly qualified miners to all four corners of the world. In the form of a sound collage former pit workers describe the backbreaking labour in the galleries. They also tell of the traditional rituals that every new miner had to endure - a sort of Equator baptism underground. The interactive adventure world goes hand-in-hand with extensive outside attractions that have turned the old mining complex into a huge recreational area. A particularly fine idea was to throw a spotlight on the emigration of Cornish miners by means of a botanical garden containing plants from abroad. Cornwall’s largest adventure playground and a cafe-restaurant in an old carpenter’s workshop complete the stimulating experience.

The location is part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.