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Gwennap Pit, Gwennap, Cornwall. Probably 1931
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Royal Cornwall Museum
Gwennap Pit, Gwennap, Cornwall. Probably 1931
A solitary figure of a man at the bottom of the Pit. There is a house on the right and another building on the left. An open air amphitheatre near Redruth made famous by John Wesley the founder of Methodism, John Wesley first visited Gwennap Pit on 5th September 1762. At this time it was described as a relic of mining activities in the area, with a rock face covered in vegetation by the 1760s. In 1766 Wesley described it as " a round green hollow gently shelving down" and as " a natural amphitheatre". In November 1806 a mining engineer Richard Michell of Gwennap and four mine Captains: John Martin, John Dennis, W. Davey and T. Trestrail met at Busveal and agreed to repair Gwennap Pit or rather reconstruct the amphitheatre in respect to and in memory of John Wesley who had died in 1791. Between 1762 and 1789 John Wesley preached at Gwennap Pit eighteen times. The amphitheatre has twelve staged rings top to bottom. It is claimed that walking around all twelve levels top to bottom is equal to one mile and that it can hold 1, 500 people. Photographer: Unknown
Royal Cornwall Museum is the UK's Greatest Museum For Cornish Life & Culture
TRURI : GWEgp.26
Media ID 19119773
© From the collection of the RIC
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This vintage print captures the enchanting Gwennap Pit in Cornwall, most likely taken in 1931. The image showcases a solitary figure of a man standing at the bottom of the pit, surrounded by its awe-inspiring beauty. On the right side, a quaint house can be seen while another building stands proudly on the left. Gwennap Pit is an open-air amphitheater near Redruth that gained fame through John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Wesley first visited this historical site on September 5th, 1762. Initially considered a remnant of mining activities in the area, it transformed into a natural wonder with vegetation covering its rock face by the 1760s. In 1806, Richard Michell and four mine Captains from Gwennap decided to reconstruct and repair Gwennap Pit as a tribute to John Wesley's memory after his passing in 1791. Between 1762 and 1789, John Wesley preached at Gwennap Pit an impressive eighteen times. This remarkable amphitheater consists of twelve staged rings from top to bottom and has become renowned for its capacity to hold up to 1,500 people. It is even claimed that walking around all twelve levels equals one mile. Although we do not know who specifically captured this moment in time, this print serves as both a testament to Cornwall's rich history and an invitation for viewers to imagine themselves within this extraordinary landscape.
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