Tregargus Valley, (also known as “The Hidden Valley”) in mid Cornwall’s Clay Country is known for its historical significance and natural beauty.
The fast flowing Barn River tumbles through the valley before joining the swelling waters of the River Fal. Tregargus takes its name from an early settlement that once stood to the south of the woods, first recorded in 1356. The name itself means tre: ‘farm/settlement’, gargus: ‘fort in the wood’. In the past this river and the woodland would have been exploited from the earliest times by the people living in and around it. The trees would have provided fuel, coppice wood and building material. Accords from the early 19th century tell of children gathering nuts here. As well as providing drinking water for the villagers and their animals the river would later become an important source of power too.
During the 17th century tin was discovered in the parish and historian Charles Henderson believed that tin streaming took place at Tregargus. But it is the abandoned remains of another later industry which can still be seen today.
China Stone
For nearly one hundred years china stone was quarried and milled in and around the Tregargus valley, from 1870 until 1965. The woodland that we see today is surrounded by disused quarries where the valuable china stone was cut into blocks to make it easier to move.
It was reported, in a newspaper article advertising the sale of shares in the new business, that by 1879 there were four powerful water-wheels driving grinding machines as well as a section of railroad and tram wagons. The works quickly became an important source of employment for the surrounding area.
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27 авг 2024
