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Stoke Climsland Parish |
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Miners Barracks at Luckett |
The Miners Barracks at Luckett are a unique and poignant reminder of one facet of the mining boom in the 19th century. They were built by the mining company developing the mines at Luckett in the early 1870s. The mines became one of the largest producers of arsenic at the time and employed hundreds of people. In this remote rural landscape, accommodation was limited and what was available was stretched to over-bursting. This shortage led to the erection of the barracks. They were built for 20 men but is reported to have housed 50 men working in shifts, sleeping in one big space upstairs - amongst all of the arsenic dust and grime - and eating at one large table downstairs.
No other miners barracks are believed to have survived this long and the Luckett Barracks have not been altered in any essential detail since originally constructed.
On this page you can find the following information about the Barracks:
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To see photographs of other listed barracks or lodgings and what made the Cornish ones different, click here for a .pdf file.
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For a appraisal of the building, with exterior and internal photographs, click here to open a .pdf file.
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For a review of the historical context of the building, click here to open a .pdf file.
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To get some idea of the conditions of the times, click here to open a .pdf file of an extract of a Royal Commission Report.
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To view an interesting collection of old photographs, maps and plans relevant to the Barracks, click here to open a .pdf file.
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To see the photographs referred to in the preceding documents, click here to open a .pdf file of thumbnail images.