Old Lead Mine Pentireglaze

01/09/2024

Looking into the Lobb's Rock area in my last post I cannot but wonder if the vast stone dump closeby at Carnweather Point is something to do with mining. It would seem highly likely that there might have been a mine shaft here but there seem to be no records. Anyone with thoughts on this? That this was simply a stone dump for clearing the field seems to me a bit unlikely (but a farmer might tell me otherwise).

31/08/2024

Anyone know anything about The Lobb's Rock site?
I think it has several characteristics that suggest it could be the location of an old mine as there are still clearly visible pits and paths on the cliff that indicate that mining activity has occurred in the past.
Some of you may have been into the caves at sea level there.
What do you think?.
On the 1840 map a lode is shown running directly from it.
Could this have been the place recorded in an agreement, dated 22 September 1723, between Thomas Carlyon and Johe Bonython wherein at "a mine or antimony working lying in Port Isaac in the parish of Endellion" Bonython covenanted to pay Carlyon the sixth-part of all antimony or other metal raised, to replace the "meat earth", to level all pits and shafts, and to make satisfaction "if Martyn Lobb, the tenant, suffers any damage in the Little Field".
Yes, I know that there are many Lobbs in Cornwall but not sure that many have a rock named after them.
Any comments greatfully received.

31/08/2024

Anyone know anything about The Lobb's Rock site?
I think it has several characteristics that suggest it could be the location of an old mine as there are still clearly visible pits and paths on the cliff that indicate that mining activity has occurred in the past.
Some of you may have been into the caves at sea level there.
What do you think.
On the 1840 map a lode is shown running directly from it.
Could this have been the place recorded in an agreement, dated 22 September 1723, between Thomas Carlyon and Johe Bonython wherein at "a mine or antimony working lying in Port Isaac in the parish of Endellion" Bonython covenanted to pay Carlyon the sixth-part of all antimony or other metal raised, to replace the "meat earth", to level all pits and shafts, and to make satisfaction "if Martyn Lobb, the tenant, suffers any damage in the Little Field".
Yes, I know that there are many Lobbs in Cornwall but not sure that many have a rock named after them.
Any comments greatfully received.

27/08/2024

09/06/2024

Going Underground!
Thanks again to Tim Doney for sharing his recent photos and explorations of the Old Lead Mine.
As he noted, it’s an impressive mine with so much more to explore!
The mine produced lead, silver, and copper ore from its two main lodes, one running north-south and the other northeast-southwest. It had an adit (a tunnel running to the sea which would have been important in drainage) and two shafts.
Although there is little to see today on the surface around the NT car park, the mine in its day had a powerful steam engine, in a long ago demolished stone building near the car park, a steam whim and a crusher.

In the 1850s, the mine was acquired by the Pentire Glaze and Pentire United Silver-Lead Mines company. It continued to produce lead and silver ore, but not enough to be considered a highly profitable mine.
The mine however is still famous for its high-quality lead carbonate minerals,
Cerrusite, or Jack Straws as the miners
called them. Incredibly, as Tim’s photos show, they are still to be easily seen underground today!

The mine eventually closed in 1857 but the lodes of the Pentire Mine extended beyond its boundaries and were pursued in other nearby mines, such as Tinner's Hill, Wheal Phillipa, and Wheal Caroline. These mines also produced lead, silver, and copper ore. The Polzeath Consols mine was formed in 1847 by amalgamating several of these mines. It had adits and shafts for mining, and the lode varied in size and composition.

Trewiston was another small lead mine located south of the Pentire Mine. It was granted a sett (an area for mining) in 1875 and was located east of the road between Trebetherick and Trewint.

04/05/2024

I can recommend getting a copy of Daphne du Maurier's brilliantly observed and researched "Vanishing Cornwall" . Yesterday I read the chaper on "The Tinners" which explains mining in Cornwall in a way that is easier to understand than most accounts!
For anyone interested in mining on the north coast of Cornwall but doesn't have access to the book here are the main points she makes in the chapter:

Tin mining in Cornwall has a long history, dating back to 1800 BC. The first tinners were likely from the Mediterranean and discovered tin deposits washing down from the granite hills.
Tin was a valuable metal used to make bronze weapons and later domestic items.
In 1201 the Cornish Stannary Charter was granted by King John which gave tinners the right to mine waste land and pay a royalty to the landowner.
Tinners were considered unique amongst laborers as they were free men who could work independently. They had their own Parliament and Stannary courts.
Smelted Tin was brought to the coinage towns of Helston, Truro, Lostwithiel and Liskeard to be taxed and stamped before being sold.
Initially, tinners worked in the open air using pick and shovel. Later, they followed deposits underground and became miners.
As mining went deeper and became more dangerous, miners developed superstitions about spirits called "knackers" who guarded the tin and could cause misfortune.
The 16th century saw an increase in mining companies and wealthy landowners becoming involved in tin mining.
The price of tin fluctuated, and there were periods of hardship for miners who relied on "tribute" (a share of the mine's yield) rather than fixed wages.
The 19th century saw a boom in Cornish tin mining due to improved infrastructure and steam power. However, this also brought foreign investment and a shift in control from individual miners.
By the late 19th century, cheaper sources of tin were found elsewhere, and the Cornish mining industry began to decline. Many miners emigrated to find work.
The 20th century saw a brief revival during the World Wars, but today only a handful of mines remain operational.
The chapter concludes by describing the ruins of old mines scattered throughout Cornwall, remnants of a once-thriving industry that played a significant role in shaping the region's history and culture.

The book is highly recommended for anyone who knows and loves Cornwall... which she certainly did! Maybe a little dated as it was written in the 70's but if you are interested in one of Cornwall's greatest writers then here's a short timeline of her life focused on Cornwall:

* **1907 (Born):** Daphne du Maurier is born in London
* **1931 (24):** Publishes her first novel, "The Loving Spirit."
* **1932 (25):** Marries Frederick "Boy" Browning.
* **1933 (26):** Gives birth to her first child, Tessa.
* **1934 (27):** Daphne du Maurier's father, Sir Gerald du Maurier, dies on April 11th.
* **1936 (29):** Publishes her breakout novel, **Jamaica Inn**, which becomes a critical and commercial success.
* **1937 (30):** Gives birth to her second child, Flavia.
* **1940 (33):** "Rebecca" is adapted into a film by Alfred Hitchcock.
* **1940 (33):** Gives birth to her third child, Christian. Kit is 80 now and did the photos for Vanishing Cornwall. He used to stay at Medla in New Polzeath with friends
* **1943 (36):** Leases Menabilly, a house in Cornwall that inspires many of her future works.
* **1952 (45):** Publishes her short story "The Birds."
* **1965 (58):** Frederick Browning, Daphne du Maurier's husband, dies on March 14th. Browning's leadership in developing and deploying British Parachute troops in WW2 earned him the nickname "The Father of the Airborne Forces."
* **1967 (60):** Publishes *Vanishing Cornwall*, a non-fiction work celebrating the Cornish landscape and lamenting its transformation.
* **1969 (62):** Becomes a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE).
* **1989 (81):** Dies at her home in Cornwall.

If you're walking around Daphne du Maurier countryside at the Fowey Festival in mid May you may like to discover the places she lived there. They include Ferryside (Swiss Cottage) which is on the Bodinnick side, opposite Fowey 1927-1930 where I think that Kit now lives. He's 80. Then the family moved to her dream house Menabilly not far from Fowey and where she was 1930-1969. It was leased from the Rashleigh family until she moved to Kilmarth (the Dower house on the Menabilly estate overlooking St Austell Bay) where she lived 1969-1989.

21/03/2024

Thanks for all your comments and news clippings!
This one in particular suggests that there’s a bigger story still to be told… even if it has to have an Australian/surfing /Polzeath slant to help tell it.
Incidentally it’s perhaps possible that Polzeath being further down the line, so to speak, had the most poisonous water of all. Miles of partly dissolved piping itself becoming part of the poison.

Wed 15 Aug 2001
Guardian Newspaper
New inquiry into water poisoning
Minister promises to look again at Camelford
By John Vidal, environment editor

The environment minister, Michael Meacher, yesterday fulfilled a pledge made by the Labour party 13 years ago by announcing a new inquiry into the 1988 Camelford water poisoning incident which is known to have affected more than 700 people.

The new investigation into the long term health effects of the accidental spillage of 20 tons of aluminium sulphide into the water system in Camelford, Cornwall, follows Mr Meacher's visit to the victims last year. "It was one of the most poignant, emotional experiences. It was a strong belief that there were long-term health effects," he said.

The decision to hold an inquiry into one of the worst-ever cases of water poisoning by chemicals has been building for years and follows a Labour commitment to further investigation made in 1989.

A study published in the British Medical Journal in 1999 found that 55 people living in the area at the time of the water contamination had suffered "considerable damage" to their brain function. Residents have complained of loss of concentration and short term memory and other illnesses.

The announcement follows what has widely been seen as two unsatisfactory investigations. Although local doctors found evidence of mouth ulcers, diarrhoea, severe lethargy, nausea and vomiting, together with increases in reports of non-arthritic bone pain many months after the incident, the inquiry by South West Water authority concluded that there would not be long term effects from the poisoning.

The authority was fined just £10,000 and ordered to pay £25,000 costs. Some 700 claims for compensation have been made and paid. The inquiry was widely seen as unsatisfactory because it was conducted by an executive director of the water authority.

20/03/2024

Calling Polzeath 1988: Share Your Story and Unearth the Emerald Tide!

Attention all Polzeath residents of 1988, especially any visiting Australian surfers!
Screen Australia is making a powerful film called Emerald Tide, a drama inspired by the true story of the water poisoning crisis that shook Polzeath in July 1988.
This isn't just about the past – it's about uncovering a story that may have been left behind by some, but with a global impact for the future.
Imagine Erin Brockovich taking on a fight for clean water with a Cornish twist, or Dark Waters exposing corporate negligence – but with the added layer of Polzeath Australian surfers who may have unknowingly experienced a health hazard and gone home without being told about it.

Emerald Tide aims to be a powerful story of resilience, community spirit, and the fight for a healthy environment, giving a voice to those who may not have realized the effects because the water company hushed it up for 16 days before telling anyone.

Were YOU in Polzeath that summer? Maybe you were:

An Australian catching epic summer waves, dreaming of the perfect barrel, and perhaps unknowingly exposed to poisonous water. Your story could be a catalyst for uncovering the wider impact of the crisis. Perhaps though you didn’t even know…until now.

A local resident witnessing the unfolding drama firsthand. Your perspective is crucial to capturing the true impact on the community, especially for those who may have left and never known the full story.

A seasonal worker in the bustling hospitality scene while the sun still shone. You might have witnessed the shift in atmosphere as the contamination became known, and can bridge the gap for those who may have missed the news.

Even a tourist who drank the water here in July 1988 and got caught up in the aftermath. Your experience can highlight the broader reach of the crisis, and the potential for long-term health effects some may not have considered.

No matter who you were in 1988, your Polzeath poisoning story matters!
Emerald Tide aspires to be a film with global impact, raising awareness about environmental issues and inspiring action. We're looking for your perspective to bring this story to life on the big screen, and potentially help others understand their own experiences.

This is your chance to share your experience and be part of Polzeath's history, while making a difference for the future!

Whether you directly experienced the water contamination, witnessed the community's response, or simply remember the strange atmosphere, we want to hear from you!

The filmmakers are searching for locals and visitors who were there. They could be looking for cameos in the film, or simply your unique voice to help shape the narrative.

No acting experience required! We just want to hear your memories of that unforgettable summer.

If you were in Polzeath in 1988 and have a story to tell, please send me a message! I'll be happy to connect you with the film makers.
Let's work together to make Emerald Tide a film Polzeath can all be proud of, and one that sparks positive change.
#1988

26/02/2024

Can you help with dates and events for the Polzeath area? Thanks

Thank you for all the help with compiling this list of dates related to Polzeath's rich history. I’m sharing the latest update for you here now but realise that there is so much more to add! Can you help?

If you have any local knowledge or corrections please drop them in the comments below ⬇️ or send me, Bill Bartlett, a message. Otherwise of course I am happy to come to meet you. Just let me know a good time.

360 MYA Polzeath Slate Formation… pale green to purple
3000 BC Daymer Bay forest submerged with rising sea levels and then covered in sand (not discovered/revealed until about 1800)
2500 BC Bronze Age people construct Tumuli around Polzeath until about 800 BC
352 BC: first mention of Cornish Tin Industry
100 BC: The Cliff Castle at The Rumps probably built
55 BC: Romans arrive in Cornwall (until 410 AD) they mine tin at Mulberry Down quarry (13 miles south of Polzeath)
Doomsday: Rosminver Manor (renamed St Minver), Trewornan Manor to east by River Amble, Pentire Manor to north, Penmayne Manor (an ancient sub-manor) to south of Polzeath
1201: Cornish Stannary Charter granted by King John
1260: St Endellion church built. St Minver & St Enodoc likely have earlier sites
1350: Half the population of Bodmin killed by Black Death
1485: Wadebridge first bridge across River Camel
1490: Slate quarrying starts along the North Cornwall coast around Trebarwith
1497: Cornish Rebellion march on London protesting against tax (to raise funds to fight the French)
1580s: First recorded mining at Pentire, with discovery of lead ore
1590 Shilla Mill (milling corn until 1885)
1660: Rabbit warren at Pentire (100 acres). One by Brea Hill too (until 1860).
1664: The Barton of Pentire granted a license to mine lead ore
1664: Cornwall mostly Royalist in English Civil War. Surrender of most Cornish Royalist forces in 1646 and many, like local Roscarrock family, fined
1690: Quaker Burial ground on road between Polzeath and St Minver. High walls partially rebuilt in 1833. Different trees planted on each burial plot.
1743: Charles & John Wesley bring Cornwall Methodism. Andy Cameron (started Wavehunters 2002) is related to them, although Charles, the prolific hymn writer, writes none with a nautical theme
1758: William Borlase mentions mining for antimony at Pentire
1791: Trewornan-bridge built to replace a dangerous ford
1793: 120 tons of lead ore were sold from Pentire
1793 Inventor Goldsworthy Gurney born in Treator, Padstow
1807: The great slate road from Delabole to Port Gavern built to ship-out slate
1814: Captain William Bartlett Jun.drowned 8th Nov 1814, buried 18 Dec, Aged 24
1815-19: The Pentire Silver and Lead Mine is a major producer of lead ore.
1819: A boat carrying lead ore from Pentire sinks, six drown
1825-27: Mining for copper takes place at Pentireglaze
1827: Doyden Castle built in Port Quin
1829: First Padstow lifeboat
1830: Daymark at Stepper (cost £27)
1830 Polzeath “Beach House” built by the captain of the local mines, it was originally called "The Pleasure House”
1841 Polzeath population: 44
1843: Mining at Pentireglaze is restarted on the Costbook principle
1845: Mining begins on Tinners Hill, New Polzeath, in the "South Hill Mine"
1846: The lease for Pentireglaze mine is revoked due to ineffective management
1847: Trevose Light House (flashes every 7.5 seconds) automated 1995
1848: A new mining lease is drawn up for Pentireglaze
1848: Alfred Lord Tennyson in North Cornwall (May to July) touring with Rev Hawker, among others, to places like Tintagel
1850: The Pentire & Pentireglaze United Lead-Silver Mines is formed
1853: Pentireglaze mine produces 540 grams silver
1854: Meeting houses and chapels at: Tregenna (for Protestant dissenters), Tredizzick, Stopatide (Methodists) and Rosserow (Bryanites)
1855: Polzeath mine opened (closed 1856). Miners path named Tinners Lane
1856: Both Pentire and Pentireglaze mines close for good
1856: First RNLI lifeboat at Padstow
1861: Trebetherick Mine (Trewiston Mine) closed, although reopens turn of century
1864: St Enodoc’s north chapel restored
1869: Port Isaac’s first lifeboat
1879: Stone for Eddystone Lighthouse from De Lank Quarry, Blisland. Shipped on barges, after being cut in Wadebridge, until 1882
1879: Until now every local farm kept a flock of sheep and grew mostly wheat, oats and barley. Sheep mostly replaced by North Devon beef cattle
1880: Coastguards’ rocket apparatus housed by Trebetherick Store (until 1930)
1885: last oxen used on local farms. Horse drawn bus to Wadebridge
1886: Wadebridge Town Hall built
1890: St Enodoc golf clubhouse first built (rebuilt 1907 and moved in 1937)
1892; Dinham freshwater mill stops milling corn twice a week, Dinham saltwater mill stops milling bone (used for manuring root crops)
1893: Rock ferry sinks, two drown
1895: Rock Hotel built (knocked down 1978 site used for Mariners Pub)
1895: Percival Institute St Minver
1898: Metropole Hotel Padstow built, opened 1904
1898: Atlantic Terrace, Pentireglaze Estate, built
1898: Old Methodist Chapel, “The Tin Tabernacle”, on Chapel Corner (replaced and moved as road widened 1933) also used as Methodist school hall
1899: Railway Line to Padstow opened (closed 1967). London and South Western Railway (LSWR) (although the North Cornwall Railway Company initiated)
1900: Polzeath Lodge Hotel built (became Pinewood flats in 1950s)
1900: James Stevens steam lifeboat capsizes in Hell Bay. 8 of the 11 lifeboat crew drowned.
1902: Rock Hill Methodist Chapel built
1903: Atlantic House Hotel opened
1906 “Medla” built (used in Doc Martin Christmas Special 2023)
1908: “West Ray” built in Trenant Valley. Postcard series named after house
1910: Doyden house built
1911: Foghorn at Trevose (until 1963)
1913: Old Accounts office for Polzeath mines becomes Post office (until 1927). In the 1870’s the building was used as the playroom for the Pleasure House next door (now called Polzeath Beach House but built 1830)
1914: “For the Fallen” Laurence Binyon pens poem on Pentire cliffs after Battle of Mons
1915: SS Armenian sunk by U Boat 24 miles off Trevose with 1,400 mules. “A Seaman of the Great War” from the ship buried St Enodoc
1917: Arnold Bax, Tintagel holiday with pianist Harriet Cohen… affair and visit inspires symphonic poem
1918: RAF Crugmeer (Padstow airfield) operational until 1919
1922: New Polzeath tennis courts open (repurposed a car park in 1938)
1922: Maycocks Art shop opens Polzeath (until 1966) now TJ’s
1923: Polzeath Seminars given by Carl Jung
1925: Two breakwaters built for Port Isaac
1927: Trebetherick Telephone Exchange laid in June (the 1957 Exchange building is still on site opposite the St Moritz turning)
1927: Piped water from Crowdy reservoir turned on by the King
1927: BP petrol sold from new PO stores. Shell petrol sold opposite Couch Garage
1928: Greystones Private Hotel built in New Polzeath (70’s renamed Pentire Rocks Hotel but short lived and now private housing complex called Pentire Rocks)
1929: Tinners Hill, annex to “Pemberton”, for Lady Wills of Wills To***co, Bristol
1935: National Trust acquires Pentire and the Rumps (Pentireglaze land acquired later)
1934: Polzeath road bridge built, replaces footbridge and ford
1935: The Polzeath block of shops built on the site of Couch’s Tea Rooms. Will include Dairy and Stotts Newsagents. Today shops centered on Spar
1936: “Penglaze”, the only house on the beach at Pentireglaze Haven, built
1937: RNAS St Merryn, HMS Vulture l (closed 1956)
1938; Polzeath and Trebetherick get electricity
1939: HMS Vulture ll at Treligga airfield (until 1955)
1939: HMS Media wrecked on Greenaway rocks
1939 RAF / USAAF St Eval airfield (until 1960’s)
1940: RAF St Mawgan airfield (until 2013 RAF)
1940: German invasion expected (Dunkirk May 26th - June 4th). Home guard started, mines and barbed wire put into sand dunes around Daymer Bay
1941: West Hill Park school evacuated to Atlantic House Hotel (until 1945)
1942: Davidstow Airfield (RAF until 1945)
1942: Trebetherick Royal Observer Corps operate from Pentireglaze (until 1968)
1943: American B-17 Flying Fortress forced to make an emergency landing at Treligga (HMS Vulture II)
1944: Minefield "HW A3", fatal to U-1021, laid by HMS Apollo 3 near Trevose
1945: Valley Caravan Park started by William A Taylor. Now owned and run by Martin Taylor
1946: St Moritz hotel opens
1946: Polzeath WI moved to Trewint
1948: “North Coast Recollections” in John Betjeman's Selected Poems published
1950s: Polzeath Lodge Hotel becomes Pinewood flats
1948: Lingham Club for ex servicemen and women (later becomes Carters Pub)
1949: David Lean and stars film part of “Madelaine” on beach (although film noir set in Glasgow)
1952: Formula 1 on Davidstow airfield track until 1955
1960 : Underground Nuclear Bunker built at Pentireglaze for Trebetherick ROC (until 1968)
1962: Hawker's Cove lifeboat station decommissioned, new station built at Trevose Head
1967: railway to Wadebridge closed
1970: Strongbow Explorations Ltd acquires mineral rights in the area. Name changed to Cornish Metals Limited in 2020
1974 Anne’s Cottage store starts
1975: Poldark first TV series filmed, Doyden for Dr. Enys' surgery and house until 1977
1982: Reinforcement of the cliffs below Atlantic Terrace New Polzeath
1983: Mini Series “Jamaica Inn” filmed Polzeath and Port Quin
1984: John Betjeman buried St Enodoc
1990: Polzeath Surf Life Saving Club (PSLSC) formed
1991: UK’s first commercial windfarm at Delabole opened
1993: Tom Kay starts Finisterre from back of car sometimes based in Polzeath
1995: Wreck of Maria Asumpta at The Rumps. Three crew drowned
1995: Fisherman's Friends formed, signed record deal 2010. films: 2019 and 2022
1997: “Swept from the Sea”, film cast, including Sir Ian McKellan, stay in Polzeath
2000: “Saving Grace” film released. Doc Martin 2004-2022 (80 episodes)
2004: Flooding at Boscastle
2006: Tubestation born in Methodist “school hall” at chapel corner
2024: Plans to build seaweed farm in Port Quin Bay

CAN YOU ADD or Correct?
Please comment or email me if you prefer on [email protected]

08/02/2024

Polzeath’s forgotten story of Mining and Methodism

Set on the Cornish surf coast, the now trendy village of Polzeath holds a surprising tale of faith, hardship, and resilience. While beautiful churches like St Minver, St Enodoc and St Endellion dominate the surrounding North Cornwall landscape, another spiritual force took root here: Methodism. A faith intricately linked with the rise and fall of a local mining industry that few locals today know much about.
Early photos of Polzeath show its beautiful beach surrounded by fields running down to spectacular cliffs. There’s just a scattering of houses in these black and white images with little hint at the building boom that has hit this area in recent years. There’s little to no evidence of the 18th and 19th centuries waves of miners who came and went here, lured by the promise of work but often faced with economic hardships as the mines closed. As the Polzeath area mines mostly closed by the 1860’s the rest of Cornwall was facing difficult times too, with one fifth of all Cornishmen leaving the country and moving overseas to places like Australia and America by 1900.
In this landscape of struggle, Methodism offered a beacon of hope. Its emphasis on personal faith, community support, and social activism resonating deeply. Preachers like John Wesley and George Whitefield ignited spiritual revival throughout Cornwall through open-air meetings and fostered a sense of belonging and solidarity which made Cornwall a stronghold for the faith.
Unlike the established Anglican churches, Methodism embraced a decentralized structure, allowing for the creation of local chapels closer to the people. In Polzeath, the aptly named "Tin Tabernacle" was built just steps away from the mine's accounts office by the beach, symbolizing the faith's connection to the miners' lives. This chapel wasn't just a place of worship; it served as a hub for education, community activities, and practical assistance. As the only “village hall” in Polzeath its legacy even extended worldwide when it was used for two weeks in 1923 by Carl Jung to host his influential Polzeath seminars.
Methodism's emphasis on equality and inclusivity further resonated with the Cornish spirit, offering a stark contrast to the hierarchical structures of the time. By the late 19th century, it had surpassed Anglicanism as the dominant faith in Cornwall, deeply ingrained in the fabric of communities like Polzeath and nearby Rock, where a Methodist chapel was built in 1902.
Today, while the mines in and around Polzeath are long gone and forgotten, their legacy lives on in the strong community spirit of Polzeath’s Tubestation. The "Tin Tabernacle" was rebuilt in brick in the 1930’s and today the renamed community building stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith and its ability to unite a community through both good and bad times.
Regardless of one's beliefs, Polzeath’s Tubestation stands as a beacon of unity, reminding us all of the power of community and shared values. Each Sunday, it fills with those coming for the service and those just wanting a friendly chat over a cuppa afterwards. On weekdays, the welcoming cafe and gathering space fosters connections among residents and visitors alike.
This enduring sense of warmth and inclusivity serves as a powerful testament to the enduring impact of Methodism's message and what the Polzeath miners inadvertently left behind.

05/02/2024

German files prepared for Unternehmen Seelöwe had Pentire Head as a possible 1941 invasion location.
Peter Fleming, whose daughter has a house overlooking Polzeath Beach, wrote “Operation Sea Lion” in 1957. He concluded that the best possibility for a successful invasion would have been shortly after Dunkirk, something the Germans had no plan to do.
It was, after all, a 200 mile journey to North Cornwall which made the Normandy Invasion journey look short! Fleming’s entertaining 1957 book lays out a myriad of misconceptions, hare-brained schemes, problems, and rumors which bedeviled both the Germans and the British. Monty Python portrayed something like it a bit further up the coast in Minehead!

04/02/2024

When I saw this 1950’s photo for the first time I thought that there was a wall section on the cliffs that might be something to do with rabbit warrens. Or is it a natural rock outcrop. What do you think?

01/02/2024

"Bryanites" or "Bible Christians" due to their emphasis on personal Bible study were members of the Bible Christian Church, a Methodist denomination founded in Cornwall in 1815 by William O'Bryan. They eventually merged with the Wesleyan Methodists in 1907 but in 1854, at the height of the mining boom around Polzeath, it is recorded that they used to meet at Roserrow.
There were plenty of other places for miners to worship at that time with other meeting houses and chapels at Tredrizzick and for Methodists at Stop-a-Tide and for Protestant dissenters at Tregenna as well as the main churches of course with St Enodoc’s north tower being repaired by 1864. However by that time most of the miners would have left and Bryanites headed off across to America and even Australia which suggests their close connection with mining and miners.

30/01/2024

Is it possible that the path to Pentire from Polzeath actually ran through a massive rabbit warren? The evidence from perhaps many centuries of rabbits living here is right under the footpath in places.