For the last half century, Wheal Martyn Clay Works has been dedicated to preserving and retelling stories from Cornwall’s significant china clay industry past.
The fully Accredited Museum, two miles north of St Austell in Cornwall, is located within two former Victorian clay works. It tells the story of this fascinating industry and the people who worked and lived in a landscape defined by Cornwall’s iconic ‘white pyramids’.
The museum was established at Wheal Martyn in March 1975 by English China Clays Ltd., one of the leading producers of china clay at the time. The site brings alive a period of the industry’s history, spanning from the 1820s through to the 1960s, when clay mining was labour intensive and physically taxing.
It is home to a vast collection of items and objects, a substantial archive plus an irreplaceable collection of built heritage and working mining machinery, some of which is designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England.
Wheal Martyn’s Managing Director, Colin Vallance, said: “We are proud to be celebrating 50 years of sharing Cornwall’s china clay mining story – 50 years of welcoming our community and visitors, inspiring and educating future generations in the context of this remarkable industry which has global reach and produces a product every one of us uses every day.
“We are so grateful to all those who have contributed towards making Wheal Martyn what it is today – our Friends, volunteers, community and funders, without which the charity could not possibly achieve all that it does.
“As we embark on a year of celebration, it’s a great time to visit. We’ll be celebrating with some special events and offers, so keep an eye on our website and social channels for more details.”
The museum’s staff and volunteers, including many from the China Clay History Society, have worked tirelessly over the last 50 years to develop and deliver a number of projects to restore the current site and collection.
Significant milestones have included the development of the main Atrium and Discovery Centre in 2005; the restoration of the 18 foot waterwheel, a key part of the Scheduled Ancient Monument at Wheal Martyn, in 2017 and the ‘Clay Works’ project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and a range of Trusts and Foundations, which saw extensive preservation of two historic industrial buildings and the creation of a learning space and gallery for temporary exhibitions in 2022.
Colin added: “Alongside these physical changes, our engagement and educational programme has expanded and is designed to promote a deeper understanding of the significance of china clay to Cornwall’s history and culture of our area.
”Through working in partnership with other museums, community groups and individuals, and with the support of investment from Cornwall Council, Arts Council England and many other funders, we have been able to really expand our offer and reach a broader range of people. Regular activity now includes a Memory Café, arts for health sessions, Cornish speaking mornings, home education workshops, family activity programme, monthly music nights featuring Cornish talent, exhibitions, a climate café and creative workshops, as well as a whole range of occasional events and activities.”
As part of its anniversary celebrations, Wheal Martyn is also asking for people to share their stories and photos from visits to Wheal Martyn over the years. If you have anything you would like to contribute, please email to [email protected].
