February 2025

Wheal Martyn is is one of four museums in the South West to receive funding from Arts Council England. 

We have been awarded over £700,000 from the fourth round of the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND). It is one of 29 museums across the country to receive a share of almost £25 million to upgrade their buildings.  

The fund is part of the Government’s long-term plan to support local economies, allowing them to grow. It will support capital projects at museums, fund important repairs, and improve the visitor experience. Awards from £50,000 to £5 million will ensure local history in places across the country has a home for years to come.  

Wheal Martyn is the UK’s only china clay mining museum and our Victorian clay works are recognised by Historic England as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The museum holds an extensive collection of machinery, social history and archives, showcasing the global industry that powered Cornwall’s economy for over 100 years. 

The funds will be used to repair the structure and replace the asbestos roof of a pre-1907 extension to the pan kiln and linhay building where the china clay was dried. This will include replacing electrical infrastructure and fittings, upgrading visitor walkways, clearing and repairing a culvert beneath the building and repairing the pan floor. Historic England has granted Scheduled Monument Consent for these works.

Our Managing Director, Colin Vallance, said: “We are very grateful to have been granted funds from the MEND programme to deliver essential repairs to a major section of the pan kiln and linhay complex of buildings at Wheal Martyn. 

“These buildings are central to the visitor experience and crucial to telling the story of how china clay mining has shaped the landscape, lives and economy of mid-Cornwall. The innovation arising from the industry has had global impact and by re-telling these stories we aim to inspire the next generation and foster greater pride in the area. The safeguarding of these buildings will enable our charity to continue to deliver its varied engagement programme within a safe and preserved heritage environment for the long term.”

The Museum Estate and Development Fund, provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, enables museums to deliver a better experience for visitors and staff, make access and environmental improvements, unlock income-generating opportunities, and continue to protect treasured buildings and collections for future generations. The grants are administered, awarded and monitored by Arts Council England, the national development agency for arts and culture. 

Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England, said: “Museums are more than just buildings - they hold a mirror to the world, allowing us to reflect on our individual and collective experiences. From Cornwall’s historic clay works to Bournemouth’s international art collections and Dorset’s military and archaeological treasures, our region is home to some of the country’s top artefacts. By investing in essential repairs now, we’re not only safeguarding our cultural heritage but also ensuring greater public access to these treasures for years to come"   

In the South West over £4,523,000 has been awarded to four museums in total. This includes three museums in Dorset as well as Wheal Martyn in Cornwall.