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Known monuments 

1. Introduction

Kit Hill (SX 375 713) represents a multi-layered cultural landscape of national importance, ranging from Neolithic funerary monuments to complex 19th-century industrial remains. This document serves a dual purpose: to provide a baseline research inventory of known features and to articulate a pressing need for improved public safety infrastructure. One of this projects aims is to bridge the gap between academic research and community benefit by accurately mapping hazards and proposing a comprehensive signage strategy.

2. Archaeological & Monument Inventory

The following features are recorded within the Cornwall Historic Environment Record (HER) and are protected as Scheduled Monuments under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

 •Monument Type | Period | Grid Ref (Approx) | HER/PRN Reference 

 • Summit Round Barrow | Bronze Age | SX 3753 7130 | PRN 15010 |

 • Long Barrow (Eastern) | Neolithic | SX 3850 7140 | PRN 15012 |

 • The Folly (Call’s Tower) | Post-Medieval | SX 3752 7131 | PRN 15064 |

 • Summit Chimney (Kit Hill Consols) | Industrial (1858) | SX 3747 7138 | PRN 15025 |

 • Civil War Earthworks | Post-Medieval | SX 3751 7135 | PRN 15065 |

3. Industrial Legacy and Mining Features

The Kit Hill and Gunnislake mineral complex was historically significant for the production of tin, copper, wolfram, and arsenic (Dines, 1956). The landscape is heavily scarred by this activity.

3.1 Notable Industrial Units

* South Kit Hill Mine (SX 376 706): Active from 1856–1882, this area includes significant engine house ruins and a prominent chimney stack.

* The Excelsior Tunnel (Deerpark Wood): An ambitious adit driven to intersect main lodes at depth. It remains a significant, and potentially unstable, subterranean feature.

* Lode Back Pits: Extensive linear earthworks resulting from surface mining (shode pits) dating from the medieval period to the 18th century. These appear as distinct "pock-marks" on modern LiDAR data (Herring, 2020).

4. Hazard Assessment: Mine Shafts & Stability

> Warning: Kit Hill is estimated to contain up to 1,000 recorded and unrecorded mine openings. Many historic shafts were "capped" with timber or debris that is now in a state of advanced decay, creating hidden voids.

4.1 Identified High-Danger Zones

* North Engine Shaft (SX 374 714): One of the deepest known vertical voids on the hill, exceeding 200m in depth.

* The "Shaft Alley" (South Side): An area located roughly 73m (80 yards) before the main car park, containing a high density of fenced and partly-capped shafts adjacent to public paths.

* Deerpark Wood Voids: The northern slopes above the Excelsior Tunnel are known to be prone to subsidence connected to vertical "raises" from the workings below (Wu et al., 2022).

5. Rationale for Action: The Current Signage Deficit

A primary objective of The Kit Hill Landscape Research Project is to translate our data into tangible community safety improvements. Currently, there is a critical lack of specific hazard signage across the wider Kit Hill landscape.

While general warning signs exist at main car parks, they do not adequately inform visitors of specific, localized dangers once they move away from primary hubs. High-risk features like the open voids near the Ravine Bridge or the unstable ground in Deerpark Wood are often unmarked, posing a significant risk to walkers, dog owners, and amateur historians who may stray from designated paths.

This project asserts that accurate mapping must be paired with effective on-site communication to fulfill a duty of care to the public and protect the historic environment from accidental damage.

6. Community Fundraising Initiative: "Safe Passage for Kit Hill"

To address this deficit, The Kit Hill Landscape Research Project is launching a targeted fundraising initiative. Our goal is to design, manufacture, and install professional, durable safety signage at key hazard locations identified through our research.

6.1 How Donations Will Be Used

We will establish a dedicated donation page on our website. 100% of funds raised through this specific appeal will be ring-fenced for the signage project. This will cover:

* Material Costs: Manufacturing high-quality, weather-resistant signs (e.g., Dibond aluminium composite) suitable for the exposed moorland environment.

* Installation: Secure and professional mounting of signs on existing fencing or new posts, ensuring minimal ground disturbance.

6.2 Project Governance & Transparency

* Collaboration: All proposed signage locations and designs will be submitted for approval to Cornwall Council, the landowner and manager of Kit Hill Country Park, to ensure compliance with their policies and standards.

* Reporting: We will provide regular updates on the website, detailing how much has been raised and showing photographic evidence of the new signs being installed. This ensures full transparency and accountability to our donors.

By contributing, the community can directly play a part in making this beloved historical landscape safer for present and future generations to explore responsibly.

7. Legal & Safety Disclaimer

This document and the associated research are for educational and community benefit purposes. The Kit Hill Landscape Research Project acts as an independent research body and is not a registered charity.

* Public Safety: Users must remain on designated Public Rights of Way. Entering fenced-off mine enclosures or subterranean workings is strictly prohibited and constitutes a trespass against the landowner.

* Ground Stability: Abandoned mine workings are inherently unstable. The presence of a "cap" or lack of signage does not guarantee safety (Mineral Planning Guidance 12).

* Fundraising: Donations are voluntary contributions to a specific community project and not charitable donations for tax purposes.

8. References

Dines, H. G. (1956). The metalliferous mining region of south-west England. London: H.M. Stationery Office.

Herring, P. (2020). 'Where Next for Historic Landscape Characterisation (HLC)?', Landscapes, 21(2), pp. 98–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/14662035.2020.1938428.

UK Government. (1994). Mineral Planning Guidance 12: Treatment of disused mine openings and availability of information on mined ground. London: Department of the Environment.

Wu, M., Hu, N., Ye, Y., Wang, Q., & Wang, X. (2022). 'Multi-hazard risk characterization and collaborative control oriented to space in non-coal underground mines', Scientific Reports, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-20437-8.

Fundraising Not Commencing at present. Is a future Goal.

Updates about If/When this will start will depend on planning, surveying and correct permissions being granted.