Camborne Town Trail

Early Site of the School of Mines

At the roundabout go left into Trelowarren Street. Take the next Fore Street. Go left again into Trevithick Lane. The original site of the world famous Camborne School of Mines was where the shops are on the right. Its forerunner, Camborne Science and Art School, was erected here in 1883. This later became the Camborne School of Metalliferous Mining, before becoming the Camborne School of Mines. The Basset Memorial wing was added in 1890.

The building was demolished in 1974 and the school relocated to its current site at Cornwall College, Pool.

Trevithick's Memorial Plaque andSt Meriasek's Well

Go back along Trevithick Lane, turn left to Fore Street, then bear Tehidy Road. Towards the bottom of Tehidy Road on the right is a memorial plaque commemorating the test run of Richard Trevithick's 1801 engine.

Also found near this spot was St Meriasek's well, said to have waters that cured insanity. The oldest example of an ancient Cornish `miracle play' exists called Beunans Meriasek meaning `the life of Meriasek' (the local name of Meriadoc).

Commercial Square

Return back along Tehidy Road and Fore Street. Turn left into Trelowarren Street. Almost immediately on the right is Commercial Square.

The centrcpoint is an impressive tiered fountain designed for people, horses and dogs.

On the top is a lamp standard, which was presented to the town by John Holman of Camborne Veor in 1890. This was the terminus of the Redruth-Camborne tram and where the Commercial Hotel was sited. Today, the Square has been pedestrianised and is a pleasant place to sit.