Botallack Travel Guide

The first time we went to Botallack, we ignored the the small National Trust Count House Museum. What a mistake! We wandered around the area thinking how nice everything was but wondering what all the different types of buidling were used for. Why were the mines over there, perched on the cliff? What is this building with an large opening underneath it that looks like a bread oven and why is the chimney a good 500 meters away? Had we gone to the museum first, it would have answered a lot of answers and free brochures as well.

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The mines were dangerous to work in and around. Some of them were dug several hundreds of meters under the sea. The miners worked with candles stock to their helmets and used drills, pickaxes & gunpowder to access the tin. If the mine collapsed and you were lucky enough not to be in the area of the collapse, then all you had to worry about was getting out before the sea got in! It wasn't much safer above ground either. Some of them had to deal with the arsenic which was deposited as snow white powder on the walls and floor of the chambers on the way to the chimney. They had to shovel this powder into barrels and used to protect themselves by covering their bare body parts with clay and putting cotton wool up their nose. Don't know if it really protected them but it cerainly would not be allowed today, in the civilised health & safety gone mad world.