The St Just area was once an important mining area. The 19^th and 20^th century mining industry was a world leader in the development of mining technology as part of the industrial revolution. A thriving tin and copper business dominated the coastal plateau, pioneering techniques for mining below the sea bed.

Levant Mine                                        Wethered Shaft- Geevor

Important mines such as Levant, Botallack and Geevor were the mainstay of the local economy with over 100,000 families in the nineteenth century sustained through mining. Geevor, employing over 400 people at its peak, was the last to close in 1991. Today the remains of these mines are an integral part of the local heritage, environment and community, with their importance recognised as  a constituent part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.

         Colin Caffell's design for the Miners Statue

The commissioning of a Miners statue to commemorate  those miners  who lost their lives, or suffered debilitating illnesses as a result of their work was originally a St Just Town Council project and was first proposed in 1999 by Kenny Trembath when he was Mayor. The St Just and District Trust was then asked to undertake the project on the Town Council's behalf because the council believed that as a charity the trust was in a better position to raise funds.  At a meeting in 2000, the Trust decided to take the Miners Statue project on. 

In July 2009, members of the local community chose their favourite design for the proposed statue. The above submission from Colin Caffell, a local sculptor based in Lamorna, achieved 71% of the public vote. For more details see the 'Miners Statue Ballot' page of this website.

Since 2000, the Trust have been raising funds and to date have raised in the region of £6,500. A number of exciting fund raising events are planned for the coming year, to find out more details of these please click on the following link:

Events Page

MAKING A DONATION

You can make a secure online donation to the statue appeal via tha Charities Aid Foundation website by clicking on the link below:-