“As a Devonian with a love of all things Dartmoor, I heard today about the closing of Morwhellham. This is a tragedy. True, I only managed a one off visit a few years ago, living in various countries made it impossible.

Obviously, the trustees are partly to blame. But the DCC claim to be interested in the development of tourism into the county. Well, we can take that with a pinch of salt, can't we.

Morwellham should be a major part of the development of industrial Devon. Of course, if the council wants to get away from that side of Devon's history, that is a disgrace.

Wheer I live, near Wigan, a highly successful and interesting center called Wigan Pier, which showed aspects of Victorian life in Wigan, has closed down. One local councilor claiming they needed to moving away from the history to a more up to date town. Okay, I suppose that high priced luxury flats will do that.

Guess what, Morwhellam will become a luxury develop in time.”

“Is this still closing. Certainly on my last visit it was free (May 2009). No one was around to collect any money. Lucky there wasn't as I wouldn't have got much for my money. Everything had an air of ....times past! Sad place really as when I went back in the early 1990 it seemed to be extremely busy. Times have moved on...it hasn't.

And so much money literally has been panned away. Maybe they should build some executive houses there. That will bring the money rolling in.
The dock will do for their for their yachts and cruisers.

Sadly, with no viable business plan or real marketing with real top class attractions it was doomed to fail.”

“For a number of years the North Cornwall link of the Chernobyl Children Lifeline charity has been visiting Morwellham Quay with children from Belarus.

They have always found the quay a fascinating place, adore getting dressed up in Victorian outfits, visiting the school, playing old fashioned games, making ropes, bashing and sorting stones, and of course, going down the mine on the train.

I was therefore shocked to hear on Saturday that this wonderful attraction has been forced to close for financial reasons.

This will be a huge disappointment and I am so sorry that such a fantastic "living musuem" has been forced into closure.

I would like to think the "news" was based on rumour as I have been out of the country for the last four weeks.

Please tell me its not true?

With very best wishes

Jenny Campbell
Co-Ordinator
North Cornwall Link
Chernobyl Children Lifeline
Launceston”

“It seems to me that as a nation we deserve to be bereft of our once great past. To care so little for what illustrated a major employer of our forfathers is worse than third world. Thousands upon thousands laboured, lived and died in stunningly harsh conditions of the copper mines of Devon Great Consols and attendant industries. We may be standing on the shoulders of those giants be we ourselves care so little for our past that WE are totally unwilling to contribute to preserving their memory or learning from their experiences.

Thus condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past, we blunder onwards careless of all except our naked self-centered greed. Forget our past, we don't deserve to know what we once were.

In memory of all those of the Copper and Tin industry of the South-West.”

“Spent over 4 hours there today - a car full for £3.50. Very good value, lots of interesting buildings and displays with a couple of really nice walks to go on too. There are however too many wide expanses of nothingness which desperately need filling, and the buildings are looking a bit sad these days. Surely with a simple business plan and some new marketing Morwellham can be saved. It's a shame the whole place couldn't be something like £7.50 including admission on the train.”