King Edward Mine

King Edward Mine in Troon, a village between Camborne and Redruth in Cornwall, is a tin mining museum set in a historic mine and its surviving mill buildings. It is one of the most complete places in the county where you can see how tin was once extracted and processed, and it is owned by Cornwall Council and run with the help of volunteers.

What is King Edward Mine?

The site lies at the eastern end of the older South Condurrow Mine. Work there was abandoned around 1890, then started again in 1897. In 1901 the mine was renamed King Edward and fitted out with up-to-date machinery. Tin was produced until the First World War, and a short revival followed around 1920. In 1921 water broke in from the neighbouring Grenville Mine and flooded the workings, which ended production here. Underground activity then shifted to a section of nearby Great Condurrow.

Why did students work here?

The mine was developed as a training mine for the Camborne School of Mines, one of the best-known mining schools in the world. Generations of students learned practical underground and surface skills on this site. That use continued until 2005, when the school stopped using both King Edward Mine and its satellite, Great Condurrow. The Council then took over King Edward Mine, while Great Condurrow went to the Carn Brea Mining Society.

How was it saved?

A volunteer group formed in 1987 with the aim of conserving the site as an educational resource. Using rescued machinery, the volunteers brought the mill back into working condition. Later, Cornwall Council and a National Lottery grant of about 1.1 million pounds paid for redevelopment, including a cafe, and the museum reopened in April 2017.

What can you see?

• Mill buildings with equipment that is demonstrated in operation.
• A 1908 Holman winding engine, still in its original location and run on compressed air.
• Surface remains that show the full chain of tin processing, from ore to concentrate.

All the buildings are listed Grade II* and are considered nationally important. The site belongs to the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Area.

Practical tips

• Guided tours are the best way to understand the machinery; opening days and hours change with the season, so check the museum before you go.
• The site is best combined with other mining heritage nearby, as this part of Cornwall is full of engine houses and old workings.

Frequently asked questions

Where is King Edward Mine? In Troon, near Camborne and Redruth in Cornwall, England.

Is it still an active mine? No. Tin production ended in the early twentieth century; today it is a museum.

Who runs it? It is owned by Cornwall Council, and volunteers play a major role in conservation and demonstrations.

Is it part of a World Heritage Site? Yes, it lies within the Cornish mining World Heritage Area.