Levant, recently added to the gallery, is a painting based on The Levant Mine.

Working almost continually and without interruption, in excess of 24,000 tons of tin and 130,000 tons of copper were produced during it’s 110 year life.

Levant’s main mine workings stretched along the coast in the area of St. Just in Penwith, approximately 7 miles north west of Penzance, and it reached 350 fathoms at it’s deepest level and extended way out under the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. Access to the lower levels was achieved by sinking two shafts out under the sea.

In 1919 Levant suffered a tragic mining disaster when the main-rod broke on the man-engine and of the 150 miners being brought up from below at the time more than 30 men and boys were killed and many more were seriously injured.

Levant was operational from 1820 until it’s closure in 1930. It was de-watered in the 1960’s by Geevor and was briefly worked again before passing into the care of The National Trust in 1967. It has steadily undergone a program of renovation and now features a fully working steam operated beam engine which is open to the general public on specific days.