Redruth

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Redruth

Redruth is an important market and industrial town in west Cornwall. Together with the neighbouring settlements of Camborne and Pool it forms the largest urban conurbation in Cornwall.

Redruth originated as a medieval market town strategically located at an important crossroads and river fording point, 1 km from the parish church town. Although widely acknowledged as one of the centres of the greatest of all Cornwall’s mining areas its principal economic function was as the greatest market town in west Cornwall with its first market and fair charters dating to 1333. Metal ore extraction was an important factor in the town’s economy from at least the 13th century, with the exploitation of the nearby valleys for tin streaming. With the technical advances of the industrial revolution mining became more intensive and more profitable. By the first half of the 18th century the town was surrounded by extensive mining works. This activity, the associated processing works located within the town, and other industrial uses concentrated along the river valley boosted the economy of the town and led to its rapid expansion. During the 18th and 19th centuries the town became the administrative and financial hub of the mining industry. Its commercial side continued to evolve creating a bustling main street with extensive department stores. Although much of the rapid expansion had been mass housing for the local industrial workforce, Redruth had a significant managerial, professional and trading class as demonstrated in developments such as the better quality houses of the Clinton and Albany Roads area.

Downloads:
The downloads offered below represent the different elements of the CSUS Redruth Report including the core text, seven illustrative figures and six character area summaries. The majority of the downloads are large files (to maintain some quality of image resolution) and therefore may take time to download.

Title	Description	Format	Size
CSUS Redruth Report - Historic characterisation for regeneration.	REPORT text detailing the results of the historic character study for the town of Redruth. Kate Newell, Historic Environment Service..		2080kb
Figure 1 - Location & Topography Map	Map showing the location of Redruth and its immediate topography.		2845kb
Figure 2 - Ordnance Survey 2nd Edition 1:2500 Map (c.1907)	Map showing the town of Redruth in c.1907.		1113kb
Figure 3 - Historic Development Map	Map showing the historic development and expansion of Redruth.		1891kb
Figure 4 - Historic Settlement Topography Map	Map showing the historic topography of Redruth with key areas of historic activity.		2093kb
Figures 5a, 5b- Surviving Historic Components Maps	Maps showing the surviving historic buildings of Redruth	5a5b	2518 / 2190kb
Figure 6 - Urban Archaeological Potential Map	Map showing the areas and sites of archaeological potential in Redruth.		2052kb
Figure 7 - Character Areas Map	Map showing the seven character areas identified by the survey of Redruth.		1607kb
Character Area 1- Fore Street	Summarises the comprehensive assessments of character and regeneration opportunities of Fore Street. Fore Street is the town’s principal commercial street, a medieval market street set on a steeply sloping hill, offering spectacular views into and out of the town. A unique collection of highly detailed and individual buildings jostle for position and tell of the former mining-related wealth of the town and its commercial glory.		637kb
Character Area 2 - Alma Place and the remnant medieval townscape	Summarises the comprehensive assessments of character and regeneration opportunities of Alma Place and the remnant medieval townscape. The back plots of the Fore Street properties have experienced different levels of development. To the north, the former plots have been amalgamated, historic character and grain lost, with inappropriate new development dislocating the commercial centre from the rest of the town. To the south, the townscape is more intact, with important features such as the retained open fair ground and the architecturally impressive late 19^th century Alma Place development built close to the railway station.		656kb
Character Area 3 - 18^th and 19^th century civic expansion	Summarises the comprehensive assessments of character and regeneration opportunities of the areas of 18^th and 19^th century civic expansion. Until the late 19^th century the west end of town served as the financial and administrative quarter of Redruth and formed an important commercial continuation of Fore Street. This former use is still reflected in the impressive structures lining the streets, the surviving historic shop fronts and excellent architectural detailing. This quality is currently tempered by heavy traffic flows and the high number of vacant properties. Green Lane shares much of this character but has a more dominant residential use.		697kb
Character Area 4 - The Industrial Town	Summarises the comprehensive assessments of character and regeneration opportunities of The industrial town. The industrial importance of the town is still seen in the character of a large area of Redruth. Sites of former industrial uses and the stone-built terraces and rows constructed to house the workforces still form a significant amount of the townscape. The river valley formed an early focus for industry with the principal roads used as axes for industrial-related residential expansion. Despite the urban setting a distinctive rural feel is notable in several areas, especially at Plain-an-Gwarry.		1159kb
Character Area 5 - Victorian middle class housing	Summarises the comprehensive assessments of character and regeneration opportunities of the Victorian middle class housing. The substantial houses, tree-lined streets and general prosperous ambiance of these areas continue to contribute an essential aspect of Redruth’s character. The Clinton and Albany Road development has a tight grid form, echoing the underlying medieval field system, and creating a well ordered townscape. This regularity is softened by the architectural diversity and mature planting of the properties. This late 19^th century urban quarter also includes a strong civic focus including St Andrews church and the public library, with Victoria Park, set to the east, forming the only municipal formal park of the town.		1243 kb
Character Area 6 - Large houses and extensive grounds.	Summarises the comprehensive assessments of character and regeneration opportunities of an area of large houses and extensive grounds. The largest and most opulent residences of the town are set in suburban areas concentrated to the west of the town, but also the upper extent of Green Lane and the east end of Plain-an-Gwarry. These detached houses, set in sometimes extensive grounds, enjoy a privacy not seen in the rest of the town. The mature trees and planting of the grounds provide an important green backdrop for the town as a whole. The large land plots are also seen in the former Miner’s and Women’s Hospital and 19^th century Fair Field set off West End.		1296kb


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