About St Agnes

Tin Mining

St Agnes has an extremely rich mining history due to the high quality tin found in the area. The mining trail begins at the famous Wheal Coates tin mine (pictured below) on the cliffs near Chapel Porth, continuing along the Coast Path to the old workings at Polberro and Wheal Kitty and finishing at Blue Hills at Trevellas, the last remaining tin production centre in the UK.

The mine itself at Wheal Coates goes all the way down to the sea and at high tide you can hear the waves crashing against the rocks through a grate on the floor of the ruin. This mine shaft is accessible through a large cave at the far end of Chapel Porth beach at low tide. Legend has it that Wheal Coates is haunted by the ghosts of the miners that have tragically died there...

The mine workings at Wheal Coates reach down to the sea and at high tide, you can hear the waves crashing against the rocks through a grate covering the old mine shaft.

At low tide, part of the mine workings are accessible through a large cave at the far end of Chapel Porth beach. Local legend tells that Wheal Coates is haunted by the ghosts of miners who tragically lost their lives whilst working in its depths.

The unique high quality tin of St Agnes was formed by action between the granite and the complex rock around the area's cliffs.

As the mines around the coastline grew ever deeper, it became necessary to develop new technology to deliver fresh air to the miners and to remove water and ore from the lower levels. Horses, water powered pumps, adits and levers were introduced, as was gunpowder, which was an important breakthrough for the mining industry.

The mining that occurred in and around St Agnes shaped the landscape, economy and society of the village. This is still evident today in the ruins of the mines themselves, the harbour where ore was shipped and coal received, as well as in the magnificent houses of the mine owners.

Bolster

The legend of Giant Bolster is still celebrated today at events such as the Bolster Pageant, and the giant regularly leads the Carnival procession.

St Agnes Museum

If you would like to learn more about the rich and varied history of St Agnes, visit the St Agnes Museum. The museum contains a fascinating array of artefacts and exhibits detailing the area's mining and seafaring heritage. Free entry.