The new Heart of Cornwall Gallery shares the story of all that is unique and captivating about the place where the land meets the sea. Many objects that people know and love can be found here, as we explore Cornwall’s sense of identity and place in the world.
The gallery has been curated thematically, with seven interlinking historical strands explored within the space. We’ve chosen seven examples to give you a flavour of what to expect from Cornwall’s brand new ‘castle keep’ at the heart of the museum.
A Leather Tyg: Passion and identity
Wassailing is the ancient custom of invoking the spirits and convincing them to provide a good apple harvest the following season. The specific form of a wassail varies between different communities, but generally involves visiting orchards for singing, dancing, drinking and merrymaking.
Revellers would have been thanked by the orchard owner and rewarded with a warm drink from a communal wassail cup, like this tyg. With 3 handles for easy passing, it is over 500 years old. The cup is made of traditional wood, surrounded by leather. The multiple handles of a tyg allowed it to be easily passed around during the wassailing.
Transatlantic Cables: Migration and mobility
In 1858, the first message was sent via a Transatlantic cable from Queen Victoria to American President James Buchanan. The cable connected Valentia in Ireland with Heart’s Content in Newfoundland and was used to send 732 messages before it irreparably failed three weeks later.
This section of cable was part of that initially successful technological connection with other parts of the world, which ultimately resulted in Porthcurno in West Cornwall becoming a global transport hub with the arrival of a cable connecting it with British India in 1870.
Portrait of Jenny Mopus: Rebellion and defiance
Jenny Davies, also known as Jenny Mopus or Jenny of Malpas, was a Truro ferry woman in the 18th and 19th century, carrying people, goods and livestock across the river between Truro, Malpas, and the Roseland. Every day she navigated dangerous currents to make a living. Jenny Mopus is recorded by the West Briton newspaper as single-handedly capturing the thief who tried to steal Lord Falmouth’s mail in 1804. On another occasion she was asked about her passengers and replied that ‘wemmin and pigs’ gave her the most problems.
Her portrait was painted by John Boyle, which was an unusual privilege for those living outside the aristocratic classes at this time. The striking painting was hung in the Servants Hall of Tregothnan House until it came into our collection.
St Merryn lunulae and axe: Cornish treasures and gold finds
These two 4,000-year-old gold collars, or lunulae, found in Harlyn Bay with a flat copper axe, reveal skilled goldsmithing and connections to France and Ireland.
The simple line decoration on one lunula is like that on an example from Kerivoa in Brittany. Amazingly, forensic examination of the toolmarks on the French and Cornish ornaments shows that the same person made them both.
The complex zig-zag and triangle decoration of the other collar indicate Irish connections and suggests symbolism shared across long distances and hundreds of years.
Stone head from St Piran’s Oratory: Tales and place
Cornwall’s patron saint, St Piran, came here from Ireland over 1500 years ago. Legends say that he landed at Perranporth tied to a millstone and founded a small chapel on the dunes above Perran Sands.
This piece of stone from St Piran’s Oratory was presumably a grotesque and is over 1,000 years old. It probably fell off the structure at some point and was buried in the sand. It was found in 1838.
Submerged forest sample: Wildlife and landscape
Around 10,000 years ago, sea levels rose dramatically when the last glacial period ended. Land and forests were submerged, and today sometimes their remains are exposed at low tide, reminding us of the passage of geological time.
This piece of wood is incredibly old. It was found between the shore at Marazion and St Michael’s Mount on low tide. It has been preserved by being submerged and also by absorbing lots of minerals – it is thought to be between 6,000 – 11,000 years old.
Due to climate change, rising sea levels are once again a threat. Our changing climate is explored in the Nature Gallery.
Leaf-shaped arrowheads: Rock, metal and clay
These leaf-shaped arrowheads were excavated from a neolithic site at Carn Brea on the edge of Redruth. Chipped and chiselled into leaf shapes, the sharp pointed edges made them perfect for hunting and combat; similar finds are often found lodged in excavated human bones.
They were probably crafted locally and used to defend a settlement on what is a prominent local landmark. Interestingly there is a also a gold coin from Carn Brea, showing that this important site – which can be seen for miles around – is a multi-layered historical site. Once a Neolithic settlement, then a deer park and hunting lodge, now it’s home to a restaurant!