Classic old mining village
Web: www.stday.org.uk
St. Day is a village which accrued considerable wealth from mining in days gone by. The village which is two miles east of Redruth and just off the B3298, was a centre for the richest and perhaps most famous copper mining district in the world from the 16th century up to the 1830's. The population, wealth and activity in St. Day declined steadily from about 1870 onwards, today the population is smaller than in 1841. It is now essentially a residential village with a shop, Post Office and two pubs. The town became the commercial centre of the mining industry for over 100 years. It was also the home of other mining related industries including a safety fuse factory, boot and shoe works, blacksmiths, scientific and mathematical instrument factory, rope works and a velveteen factory.The population of the village was 1,821 at the 2011 census.
The parish was originally a chapelry of Gwennap but became independent in 1835. As early as the 13th century there was a chapel of the Holy Trinity at St. Day and even earlier there had been one of St. Day which was a great centre of pilgrimage. The saint commemorated here is probably the Breton Saint Dei.
St. Day old church was a place of worship from 1829 until it was abandoned in 1956. Unusually the original interior has a gallery. Today the church is a community venue with an exhibition about local history inside.
The old reservoir was built for £700 in 1828 within the grounds of Carew House to supply water for domestic use and fire fighting. Water was raised by water wheels from a spring at Five Shutes and pumped through iron pipes to the reservoir, then to a pump in the Potato Market opposite the Town Clock.
Cedars Lodge is a pentagonal building which was constructed in the early 19th century of cut granite ashlar. It was associated with the adjoining 18th century house 'The Cedars', the residence of Collan Harvey whose family were wholesale merchants for the mining industry.
The town clock was built in 1831 for £400. The present bell-cote was added in 1904 when it was removed from Redruth Town Clock. The ground floor was used as a 'clink' to lock up drunks. Stocks were sited here up to about 1880.
A previous St. Day mine site has been used for short-oval stock car racing for many years. Stock car drivers from Cornwall have won eleven World Championships. The United Downs Raceway which hosts stock car racing is situated to the south east of St. Day, on the road between Crofthandy and Frogpool.
St. Day and Carharrack Silver Band has long provided music for the Feast processions on Feast Monday as well as the two St. Day Dances through the streets in the evening.
Nearby is Gwennap Pit, where John Wesley preached.
St. Day Town Trail (about 2 miles)
Walk No. 1 Treskerby (about 3.5 miles)
Walk No. 2 Unity Woods (about 3 miles)
Walk No. 3 Carnmarth (about 3.5 miles allow 2 hours)
Walk No. 4 Wheal Maid Valley (allow about 2 hours)
Walk No. 5 Creegbrawse (about 3.5 miles Allow about 2 hours)
Walk No. 6 St. Aubyn And Grambler (about 3.5 miles)
Details from their website.
St. Day Feast Day - End June
Chacewater Redruth Truro St. Agnes Lanner
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