The decline of Botallack Mine mirrors the fate of many Cornish mines in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The global price of tin and copper fell, and competition from richer and more accessible ores in places like South America, Australia, and Southeast Asia made Cornish mining less profitable.

By the 1890s, Botallack began to struggle financially. Several attempts were made to revive the mine in the early 20th century, including new explorations and modernized equipment, but they met with limited success. The mine was finally closed in 1914, at the outbreak of World War I.

Rediscovery and Heritage

Though no longer an active industrial site, Botallack never disappeared from public memory. The haunting beauty of the ruins and the dramatic coastal scenery have made the site a favorite among artists, writers, and filmmakers. In the 1970s and again in the 1980s, interest in Cornwall’s mining heritage led to conservation work at Botallack, preserving the engine houses and improving access for visitors.

In 2006, the Cornish Mining Landscape, including Botallack, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognizing the global significance of Cornwall’s mining history and engineering legacy. The site is now managed by the National Trust, and its ruins are carefully preserved as a monument to the past.

Botallack has also enjoyed fame in popular culture. It featured prominently in the BBC television adaptation of Poldark, where its windswept cliffs and evocative ruins stood in as the perfect backdrop for the drama’s 18th-century setting. shutdown123