• Home Page
• The Trust
• History
• Archive Project
• Development
• Achievements
• Activities

World Heritage Status

Introduction

In 2007 a bid to UNESCOO to classify parts of Cornwall and West Devon as a world heritage site was successful and 'Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape' is now on par with such international treasures as Stonehenge, the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China.

The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site bid project was compiled on behalf of a family of organisations and individuals with a shared belief in the value of our mining history. Many of the partners in the WHS own or operate important mining landscapes and attractions, through which the story of Cornish Mining will be made available to the public. The World Heritage Site team have developed a Cornish Mining "brand" within which our partners will operate, based on our internationally important cultural characteristics and the principles and standards expected of a World Heritage Site, although all of the organisations and individuals involved remain independent.

World Heritage Site Team's Role

The World Heritage Site Team's role is to promote the Cornish Mining WHS as a distinctive, evolving, living pattern of landscapes, encouraging visitors to explore and learn about the physical, social and cultural aspects of the Cornish and West Devon mining heritage:-

"The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape was transformed during the period 1700-1914 by early industrial development that made a key contribution to the evolution of an industrialised economy and society in the United Kingdom, and throughout the world. Its outstanding survival, in a coherent series of distinctive cultural landscapes, is testimony to this achievement."

Where are the South West's World Heritage Sites Located?

The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site is a series of ten Areas made upof distinctive and recurring patterns of buildings, monuments and sites: the 'components'. Together they represent a unified cultural landscape. These components are determined by, and are central to, the understanding of the Cornish mining industry in the period 1700-1914.

Hayle forms one of those ten areas, the WHS Management Plan identifies Hayle as:-

"This mining port and industrial 'new town' was also the region’s greatest steam engine manufacturing centre. The boundary has been drawn to capture the entire estuarine port setting (which contains an important maritime industrial infrastructure) and the historic core of Hayle town (including the remains of an internationally significant iron foundry) as guided by the existing Conservation Area designation."

This is fantastic news for Harvey's Foundry and Hayle itself and Harvey's Foundry has been identified as an area centre candidate.

Each Area has its own significances and its own stories to tell. They represent the distinctive way that each Area contributes to the overall significance of the WHS.

Area Centres should reveal the way in which each Area contributes to the Outstanding Universal Value of the WHS; Area themes have been developed to assist in this respect.

We are now working towards becoming the area centre for the World Heritage Site this means that any development we undertake will not loose Hayle's individual style and distinctiveness.

Phase 3 – the heritage and education centre – will therefore act as a Centre which can then signpost Local Area Network mining attractions, selected landscape sites and collections that are strongly identified with WHS values.

For more information on Cornwall and West Devon Mining World Heritage Site please visit www.cornish-mining.org.uk.

HARVEY'S FOUNDRY TRUST, John Harvey House, 24 Foundry Square, Hayle, Cornwall, TR27 4HH

Registered in England No. 4764003

Registered Charity No. 1112920

Of Interest...

Content Copyright © Harvey's Foundry Trust Ltd | Sitemap | Accessibility

Web Design & Management by Fibonacci Designs