The History Of Trebarwith Stoneworks
Slate mining along the North Cornwall coast dates back to the early 1400's. Mining developed along coastal areas for two main reasons. Along the coast the slate bedrock is exposed or closer to the surface and sea transport was the easiest, if not the only way to transport the heavy slate
The Engine House, Prince of Wales Quarry
There were eight known quarries in the Trebarwith area. The Prince of Wales Quarry was one of the largest and unusual as it was worked in its later years by a Wolf Compound Beam Engine. The deep pit section of the Prince of Wales Quarry was abandoned in about 1880 and the site is now a nature preserve and the old engine house still exists.
Slate mining continues in various forms in Cornwall. Fifteen years ago forty-five men were mining rustic slate on the Trebarwith site but markets now demand a wider range of stone products and services. Trebarwith Stoneworks is still an active quarry but it has also evolved to include the finish manufacturing of granite, marble, limestone and slate products using stone from around the world.
Trebarwith Stoneworks takes pride in its work and its history and continues to build on a long tradition of Cornish craftsmanship.