North Cornwall Museum at Camelford
Unusually, North Cornwall Museum in Camelford is privately owned. Entirely appropriately for a museum that is concerned with the countryside and its trades and skills, the buiilding it occupies was originally the workshop of a maker of horse-drawn coaches and wagons. The museum's many wide ranging collections are surprisingly comprehensive and well displayed and explained. The period covered is very roughly the first half of the 20th century. I visited for the first time in September 2007 and greatly enjoyed my visit.
Trades and skills covered include farming, dairying, cider making and wagon making. The collections of tools are very extensive and relate to the carpenter, cooper, blacksmith, saddler, cobbler, tailor, printer, doctor and quarryman for both slate and granite. On the domestic side there is a recreation of a moorland cottage of around 1900 and collections including bonnets and early vacuum cleaners (these are a delight). There is also some Cornish and Devon pottery and, to my amazement, examples of cloam (clay) ovens. Upstairs is a gallery with changing art and craft exhibitions. The museum opens daily (ex Sunday) 10-5 April to September. It also houses the local TIC. Free car park opposite.
North Cornwall Museum and Gallery
Approaching from the south, turn L up Clease Road, near top of hill
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Penlee House in Penzance - Home of the Newlyn School
Built in 1865, and standing in a pleasant small park near the centre of Penzance, not far from Morrab Gardens and the seafront, Penlee House was completely refurbished in 1997. It contains West Cornwall's largest art collection, primarily the local Newlyn School of the late 19th century. Expect to see slightly romantic views of working fishermen and locals on the beach and around the harbour. Amongst the leading lights of the Newlyn School exhibited here are Stanhope Forbes, its best known name, Frank Bramley, Norman Garstin, Thomas Cooper Gotch, Walter Langley, 'Lamorna' Birch and Henry Scott Tuke. We particularly enjoy the gallery's regular special exhibitions, covering differing aspects of the Newlyn School's work. There is also a museum, founded in 1839; this covers 6000 years of Cornish history, archaeology and commerce, and has displays of fine art and the decorative arts. Also in Penzance and adjoining Newlyn you will find differing galleries at the Penzance Arts Club (may be closed now), the Exchange Gallery and the ultra contemporary Newlyn Gallery; the latter tends to put on shows which are well beyond our comprehension. More Newlyn School Paintings are found at Falmouth Art Gallery and the Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro.
Poldark Mine at Trenear near Wendron
The history of this site as an industrial museum began in 1972 when Peter Young, intending to buy a wardrobe at auction, instead somehow bought Wendron Forge! Here he set up his collection of steam engines. Then, excavating into the hillside, he discovered the workings of abandoned Wheal Roots mine, which he opened to the public. With the success of the Poldark TV series the name of the site was changed from Wendron Forge to Poldark Mine. The present mining enthusiast owners took over in 1999. The history of mining here goes back a long way. Find a massive granite rock in the main car park and you will be looking at the famous Wendron mortar stone, where tin ore was ground before 1200BC. Look in the museum and you will see a copy of John Trenere's 1493 lease from the Duchy of Cornwall; outside is his original wheelpit. Force of circumstance - private ownership, no public funding (ever) and the need to pump vast volumes of water - means that this is an odd site. On the one hand, a genuine mine (good underground tour), wonderful machinery, a superb museum and helpful, knowledgeable staff. On the other hand, thanks to the need to keep up cashflow, there is an assortment of craft shops, shops and entertainments to bring in the the general public. But it's worth it for the real stuff. Caf� and ample parking.
Porthcurno Telegraph Museum
Cornwall has always been in the forefront of communication technology. The first submarine cable network, the first radio transmissions by Marconi, the first transatlantic satellite station. It should be no surprise. Its position - jutting out into the Atlantic - has always offered a direct route by sea and air to the rest of the world. The first world-spanning submarine cable came into Porthcurno from India in 1870. The tiny cove grew to be the world's largest cable station, fourteen cables coming in from all parts of the world. The original Eastern Telegraph Company became the multi-national Cable and Wireless which remained here until the 1990s. The original headquarters building is now apartments but the later building and its 2nd World War tunnels now house the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum. It tells the story of submarine telegraphy and of Porthcurno's part, as a secret communications base, in World War II. Story boards are good and exhibits - many working - fascinating. But for us the best part was upstairs over the reception area. Here was a comprehensive exhibit about Isambard Kingdom Brunel's great cable laying ship, the massive 'Great Eastern'. We would have been happy if this was all we had got for the price of entry. Later we walked down to the cove to see the old Cable Hut, climbed the cliff to visit Minack Theatre and walked the coast path to Porthgwarra. There is ample parking.