Museums · South West England
Wheal Martyn
In or near Rescorla.
Wheal Martyn — a museum in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
Rod Allday — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Best time of year
- Year-round
- Nearest railway station
- St Austell · 3.1 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Wheal Martyn is a museum in england-south-west, United Kingdom, listed in the Wikipedia register of British heritage and tourism sites. See the linked Wikipedia article for full details.
Photo gallery
See it from the streetimagery from 2024
Imagery © Mapillary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0
Official information
Wheal Martyn is the UK's only china clay mining museum, located in mid-Cornwall. Visitors can explore the history of china clay mining, see vintage vehicles, and enjoy outdoor woodland trails. The museum features interactive exhibits and tells the story of the industry that has shaped the region for over 250 years.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: St. Austell Clay Pits SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Cornwall
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
Place summary
Wheal Martyn is a museum located in South-West England. It focuses on the history of china clay mining in the region, showcasing the industry’s significance to the area's development. The site includes preserved machinery and exhibits that illustrate the processes involved in clay extraction and processing.
AI-generated from the structured facts on this page (operator, designation, listing, era). Not a substitute for visiting.
Background
History
In 1790 Richard Martyn bought the Carthew Estate, and his son Elias started the Wheal Martyn china clay works there in the 1820s. By the 1840s there were five pits, and by 1869 Wheal Martyn was producing 2000 tons of clay a year. After Elias's death in 1872, his son Richard closed or leased works to other operators. John Lovering took on the lease of Wheal Martyn in the 1880s, and made many modifications to the works. The pit at Wheal Martyn closed in 1931, but the pan kiln, for drying clay, was used for clay from nearby pits until 1969. The Gomm china clay works, which is also part of the site, was leased by the Martyn brothers from the Mount Edgcumbe Estate about 1878, and was worked…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.3654, -4.8070
- District
- Cornwall
- Parish
- Treverbyn
- Postcode
- PL26 8XQ
- Parliamentary constituency
- St Austell and Newquay
- Established
- 1975
- Nearest railway station
- St Austell — 3.1 km
- Official site
- www.wheal-martyn.com
Sources
- wikipedia: Wheal Martyn (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Lee Moor Steam Locomotive
Natural landmarks · 0.1 km
Wheal Martyn Clay Works
Museums · 0.1 km
Lansalson Pit View
Viewpoints · 0.2 km
Gomm Winding Engine
Historic houses · 0.2 km
Nature Trail Viewpoint
Viewpoints · 0.2 km
2nd Catch Pit
Waterfalls · 0.3 km
1st Catch Pit
Waterfalls · 0.3 km
Gomm Engine House
Historic houses · 0.3 km
Pit View
Viewpoints · 0.4 km
Higher Pit View
Viewpoints · 0.4 km
Greensplat
Vineyards · 0.8 km
Greensplat Hill
Mountains & hills · 1.2 km
Nearby
📷 3Natural landmarks · South West England
Lee Moor Steam Locomotive
Lee Moor Steam Locomotive — a other in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 3Museums · South West England
Wheal Martyn Clay Works
Wheal Martyn Clay Works — a museum in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5Viewpoints · South West England
Lansalson Pit View
Lansalson Pit View is a viewpoint in the United Kingdom.
📷 3Historic houses · South West England
Gomm Winding Engine
Gomm Winding Engine — a historic house in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
📷 5Viewpoints · South West England
Nature Trail Viewpoint
Nature Trail Viewpoint is a viewpoint in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Where to eat & stay near Wheal Martyn
Places to stay
📷 4
📷 3Caravan parks · South West England
Resugga Green
Resugga Green — a caravan park in england south west.
📷 5Campsites · South West England
Innis Inn Campsite
Innis Inn Campsite — a campsite in england south west.
📷 7
📷 7Hotels · South West England
Travelodge
Travelodge — a hotel in england south west.
📷 5Places to eat & drink
📷 5Restaurants · South West England
Pier House Hotel
Pier House Hotel — a restaurant in england south west.
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
The Pack Horse Public House
The Pack Horse Public House in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 5
📷 7Historic pubs · South West England
Methodist Chapel
Methodist Chapel in England South West, United Kingdom.
📷 7Restaurants · South West England
The House on the Props
The House on the Props — a restaurant in england south west.
📷 7More museums in this region
📷 5Museums · South West England
Alexander Keiller Museum
Alexander Keiller Museum — museum in South West England, United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · South West England
American Museum and Gardens
American Museum and Gardens — culture and arts museum near Bath, England, United Kingdom.
📷 5Museums · South West England
Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum
Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum — museum in Calne, England, UK.
📷 5Museums · South West England
Bath Abbey Heritage Vaults
Bath Abbey Heritage Vaults — museum in Bath Abbey, Bath, England, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Wheal Martyn?
- Wheal Martyn is in South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode PL26 8XQ), in the parish of Treverbyn.
- What is Wheal Martyn?
- Wheal Martyn — a museum in england-south-west, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to Wheal Martyn?
- The nearest railway station is St Austell, about 3.1 km away. Drivers can use postcode PL26 8XQ.
- When was Wheal Martyn built?
- Built or established in 1975.
- Is Wheal Martyn a protected site?
- Yes — Wheal Martyn is part of the St. Austell Clay Pits SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Cornwall National Landscape (AONB).
- How do I get to Wheal Martyn?
- The nearest railway station is St Austell, about 3.1 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode PL26 8XQ.