Hayle Harbour
In the early 19th century, Hayle was the most important mining port and steam engine manufacturing centre in the world.
Two of the most important iron foundries in the were located here – Harvey’s (1779-1903) and Copperhouse (1820-1869).
A fierce and long-running rivalry grew between the competing foundries as they argued over access to the sea.
This contributed to the development of Foundry and Copperhouse as individual settlements at either end of the town, located around the sites of the two companies.
Harvey's helped produce the largest steam pumping engines ever built anywhere and was the workplace and meeting place of some of the most famous steam engine engineers including Richard Trevithick and Arthur Woolf.
With the decline in the foundry business Harvey & Company continued as general traders and port operators through to 1979. In that year the Harvey & Co was acquired by UBM – United Builders Merchants.
In 1983 the 500 acres which comprised the port of Hayle was put up for sale by UBM. Since then the port has passed through several owners each with their own proposals for regeneration. However it too until the early 2010s for work to finally get underway and is likely to be on-going for some time.
As the port is part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site the development is being undertaken sympathetically to conserve historical features. The Harvey’s Foundry Trust helps to promote and preserve the heritage of Hayle and is based in John Harvey House adjacent to the old foundry site in Foundry Square.
Read MoreTwo of the most important iron foundries in the were located here – Harvey’s (1779-1903) and Copperhouse (1820-1869).
A fierce and long-running rivalry grew between the competing foundries as they argued over access to the sea.
This contributed to the development of Foundry and Copperhouse as individual settlements at either end of the town, located around the sites of the two companies.
Harvey's helped produce the largest steam pumping engines ever built anywhere and was the workplace and meeting place of some of the most famous steam engine engineers including Richard Trevithick and Arthur Woolf.
With the decline in the foundry business Harvey & Company continued as general traders and port operators through to 1979. In that year the Harvey & Co was acquired by UBM – United Builders Merchants.
In 1983 the 500 acres which comprised the port of Hayle was put up for sale by UBM. Since then the port has passed through several owners each with their own proposals for regeneration. However it too until the early 2010s for work to finally get underway and is likely to be on-going for some time.
As the port is part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site the development is being undertaken sympathetically to conserve historical features. The Harvey’s Foundry Trust helps to promote and preserve the heritage of Hayle and is based in John Harvey House adjacent to the old foundry site in Foundry Square.
