Restoration begins at Europe’s last remaining tin mill

After unveiling their new Tolgus Mill exhibition in March, Cornwall Gold is now embarking on the restoration journey, starting with the repair of the roof over Europe’s last original tin stream works.

In recognition of the importance of preserving this Cornish heritage, Cornwall Gold decided in 2022 to reduce the size of its jewellery showroom and create an interactive exhibition solely dedicated to Tolgus Mill.

The exhibition allows visitors to learn about the tin milling process, hear stories from mill workers, watch original footage, and even dress up in traditional clothing.

Committed to safeguarding Tolgus Mill for future generations, Cornwall Gold has initiated essential renovation work.

Repairing the roof over the Frame House part of Tolgus Mill began earlier this month.

Despite being a Grade II listed building, the roof is in poor condition, riddled with holes, and, in some areas, collapsing.

To preserve as many original features as possible, the wooden A-Frame will be lifted off in the new year for the installation of a new corrugated steel roof.

Any rotten wood will be replaced before being reinstated. Simultaneously, areas affected by mundic will be addressed, and new lights and wiring will be installed, to get the Frame House operational shortly.

This project was selected by attraction visitors who had the opportunity to vote for one of three restoration projects using tokens.

While there is still much regeneration work ahead, repairing the roof marks the next step in securing Tolgus Mill’s future.

Owner Mike Taylor said: “Home to Tolgus Mill, the Cornwall Gold site holds a rich history which we were determined to preserve and bring to life. We knew that by engaging the public in this important piece of history we would be able to nurture their support in our preserva7on efforts. Launched earlier this year, our interac7ve Tolgus Mill exhibi7on has done just that and we are delighted to now be starting the next phase of
our restora7on works, which with the recent rains, are needed more than ever!”.