Gunnislake
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Coordinates: 50°31′27″N 4°12′48″W / 50.5242°N 4.2133°W
| Gunnislake | |
| Cornish: Lynngonna | |
.png)  Gunnislake shown within Cornwall |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Shire county | Cornwall |
| Region | South West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CALSTOCK, GUNNISLAKE |
| Postcode district | PL18 |
| Dialling code | 01822 |
| Police | Devon and Cornwall |
| Fire | Cornwall |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| European Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | South East Cornwall |
| List of places: UK • England • Cornwall | |
Gunnislake (Cornish: Lynngonna) is one of the first villages in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom after crossing the River Tamar from Devon. Sprawled over the picturesque steep sides of the Tamar Valley, the village has a rich history in copper & tin mining.
During the mining boom in Victorian times more than 7000 people were employed in the mines of the Tamar Valley. It was during this period that Gunnislake and it's neighbouring village, Calstock boomed to the extent that they were considered the 'richest' mining areas in Western Europe.
The name Gunnislake is a derivation of two words - 'gunnis' meaning an open mine-working, and 'lake' the Cornish term for water.
There has recently been discovered a significant Roman Fort on the outskirts of Calstock, the biggest known Roman site in Cornwall and the famous painting by Turner 'Crossing the Brook' exhibited in 1815 is in fact a view of Newbridge. Gunnislake is now home to around 1,800 people.
The area is mainly residential with a small handful of businesses ranging from pubs to garages and small shops. Gunnislake is located in the Tamar Valley designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, though some recent industrial development has been attempted and achieved. Within early 2006 Hingston Down Quarry installed a new Asphalt production tower which is easily noticeable as it is proud of the skyline of Gunnislake.
Today an approximate figure of 2000 people live in Gunnislake but most of its development was primarily due to the dramatic increase in mining and industrial activity in the nineteenth century. Gunnislake is widely known as being part of the Tamar Valley, the richest Copper mining area in Europe which provided around 7000 jobs at its peak in 1862. Most mining activity ceased in the late nineteenth century which has left a haven for anyone interested in archaeology or industrial heritage.
As well as mining, other industry such as brickworks and quarries were present. Nearby, locations such as Kit Hill, Morwellham Quay, Cotehele and Calstock were mined and quarried with heavy use of the Tamar River for transportation of the raw material obtained from the works. Arsenic was produced at Greenhill, Gunnislake until at least 1930.
Annually, the village holds its festival with a wide variety of events such as the giant Sunflower competition, the Scarecrow competition, live music, art exhibitions and others. There is a King George's Field in memorial to King George V located in lower Gunnislake. It is also the home of Gunnislake Football Club.
The village is also well known as the terminus of the scenic Tamar Valley Line from Plymouth. Until 1966, the line continued on to Callington. In 1994 the station was resited to remove a low road bridge. On Summer Sundays, Gunnislake station is the hub of a network of buses across Dartmoor as part of the Dartmoor Sunday Rover.
Gunnislake railway station is the northern terminus of the Tamar Valley Line, which connects the villages of the Tamar valley with the city of Plymouth.
