Archive Access
The Wheal Archive holds over 10,000 documents, maps, photos, and technical drawings from four centuries of Cornish mining. Collections include mine plans, employment records, engineering specs, geological surveys, and miners' letters.
Research appointments are available Monday to Friday by booking. Our climate-controlled reading room fits up to six researchers, with document handling and scanning gear. Letting us know your needs in advance helps our archivists prepare materials.
Digital copies of most documents are available for remote researchers, with high-resolution scans for technical drawings and maps. Genealogical questions can often be answered through our database of mining employment records, passenger lists, and family letters.
Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (By appointment)
Sunday: Closed
Research Fees
Daily Access: £15 per person
Digital Copies: £5 per document
Postal Research: £25 per hour
Consultation: £40 per hour
Submit Research Enquiry
Use the form below for your research enquiry. Please give details about your goals, time periods, mine names, or family names. Our archivists will reply within 48 hours with information on relevant holdings and suggestions.
Genealogical Research
Records of mining families, including employment registers, apprenticeship records, and migration documents. Our genealogical specialists can trace family links across Cornwall's mining communities and global settlements.
Technical Documentation
Engineering drawings, mine plans, and technical specs from Cornwall's mining operations. Includes beam engine blueprints, shaft surveys, and geological cross-sections for industrial archaeology and engineering history research.
Legal & Administrative Records
Complete archives of Stannary Court proceedings, mining legislation, and administrative correspondence. Essential sources for understanding the unique legal framework that governed Cornish mining operations and influenced global mining law development.
International Collections
Correspondence and documentation relating to Cornish mining diaspora, including emigration records, overseas employment documentation, and technical knowledge transfer to global mining operations from California to Australia.
Location & Visiting Information
The Wheal Archive is located in the historic village of Botallack, overlooking the Atlantic coast where some of Cornwall's most dramatic mine workings extend beneath the sea. Our purpose-built archive facility occupies a restored 19th-century mine captain's house, providing an atmospheric setting for historical research.
Public transport connections include the 300 bus service from Penzance to St Just (20 minutes), with onward connection via the 301 service to Botallack (10 minutes). The nearest railway station is Penzance (8 miles), with regular services to London Paddington, Birmingham, and other major cities. Car parking is available on-site for visiting researchers.
The village of Botallack offers excellent accommodation options including the historic Count House restaurant and the nearby Cape Cornwall Golf Club. St Just provides additional dining and accommodation facilities, while the dramatic coastal location offers spectacular walking opportunities along the South West Coast Path during research breaks.
Archive Address
Wheal Archive
Botallack, St Just
Cornwall TR19 7QQ
United Kingdom
Contact Information
Phone: +44 1736 555 021
Email: enquiries@cornishminingrecords.co.uk
Research Email: research@cornishminingrecords.co.uk
Specialist Staff
Dr. Margaret Penrose
Chief Archivist & Mining Historian
James Trevithick
Technical Records Specialist
Sarah Bosanketh
Genealogical Research Coordinator
Prof. David Kinsman
Geological Documentation Curator