Saving a piece of Cornish mining history

A PIECE of Cornish history has been removed from an old steam engine near St Stephen.

A historic beam and engine were lifted from Goonvean Engine house so that valuable china clay deposits under the building can be accessed by mining company Goonvean.

The unstable listed building will be demolished after English Heritage said this was an "exceptional and highly unusual case" and made no objection when the plans were submitted to Restormel Borough Council last year.

Oliver Pearcey from the Kew Bridge Engine Trust, which is supporting the project, said: "We will be saving samples of the construction from the engine house to display alongside the beam and the engine."

The Princes Regeneration Trust, which has led the project to save the artefacts inside Goonvean Engine House, is in discussions about re-siting the engine in Hayle.

They hope to place it adjacent to the current regeneration by Harvey's Foundry Trust of the surviving remains of the Harvey's foundry, where the Goonvean engine was built in 1863.

Pictured, Laura Christon, project development officer with Harvey's Foundry Trust in Hayle, at the site. Picture: www.kasstzam.com