THE TAMAR VALLEY

Salmon fishing on the River Tamar at Halton Quay.

The Tamar Valley consists mainly of four towns Saltash, Callington,Tavistock and Launceston with many more villages scattered around the banks of the rivers and tributaries of the Tamar, Tavy and Lynher. These rivers form part of an ancient border between the counties of Cornwall and Devon.

The River Tamar runs almost sixty miles from Bude on the north coast of Cornwall down to Plymouth Sound in the South. The Tamar Valley was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1995.In 2006 the valley was assigned World Heritage Status in recognition to its importance in the industrial revolution with its mining history.

Tin and copper has been mined on the banks of the Tamar for several thousand years. In the 18th and 19th centuries the area was the greatest producer of tin, copper and arsenic. The mine near Morwellham -Devon Great Consols was once the largest copper mine in Europe.

PLACES TO VISIT.
Cotehele House is a National Trust Tudor manor house in the Tamar Valley. The house has seen little alteration and is beautifully persevered. It has a rich planted valley garden with a medieval dovecote and stew pond. The series of formal gardens near the house are extra special. The house and gardens have magnificent views down to the River Tamar, on the banks of the Tamar is the quay and the old buildings that house the Edgcumbe Arms tea-room and an outstation of the National Maritime Museum. The restored Tamar sailing barge Shamrock is moored alongside. Unaltered since the last century, the stone and slate buildings form a fine setting for the restored Shamrock.

Cotehele House.

Tamar Valley Tourism extends a very warm welcome to all visitors interested in mining heritage and those who return to research their mining ancestors.

Temporary Closure.
THE MORWELLHAM AND TAMAR VALLEY TRUST - IN ADMINISTRATION
Following a meeting with all major Morwellham stakeholders in Exeter on Tuesday 22 September 2009, it was agreed that The Morwellham and Tamar Valley Trust and its associated trading company, The Morwellham Trading Co. Limited, would go into administration. As a result, today each appointed Nigel Morrison and David Matthews of Grant Thornton as joint administrators. This step was taken following discussions between the Trust and Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council, its principal creditors.
All parties agreed that administration was the best course of action to protect this unique heritage asset and the significant amount of public funding already invested in the site and its surroundings.
The administrators intend to keep the centre open until the end of October, when it will close for winter maintenance. There are likely to be some job losses but these will follow a review of the needs of the site and the seasonal closure programme.
Morwellham Quay.
An award-winning museum and visitor centre in the heart of the newly inscribed World Heritage Site and Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
http://www.morwellham-quay.co.uk/