Hayle Heritage Centre
Heritage centre in Grade II* listed John Harvey House in Hayle, closed for renovation and planned to become Hayle Museum.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Hayle Heritage Centre is based in John Harvey House, the Grade II* listed former company offices of Harvey and Co., on the historic site of Harvey's Foundry beside Hayle's harbour. Hayle was a major mining port and a centre of steam engine manufacturing in the nineteenth century, and the Port of Hayle became part of a World Heritage site in 2006. The Cruquius Engine, the largest beam engine ever built, was cast at Harvey's Foundry in 1843.
The centre is owned by Harvey's Foundry Trust, a charity that began in 1985 and has restored many of the town's historic buildings. It opened in 2013. Its three rooms and outdoor area showed displays on Harvey's Foundry, the Cornish Copper Company, shopping, shipbuilding, Hayle Carnival, decorative art and other aspects of the town's past, alongside workshops, temporary exhibitions and guided tours.
The centre is currently closed to visitors while the building is renovated in phases. Funding has been secured for a final phase that will turn John Harvey House into Hayle Museum, telling the story of the town from prehistory to the present. In the meantime a Mobile Museum visits locations around Hayle and St Erth, and the research service remains available.
Highlights
- Grade II* listed John Harvey House at Harvey's Foundry
- Collections on Harvey's Foundry, the Cornish Copper Company and Hayle Carnival
- Hayle in 20 Objects and an oral history collection
- Mobile Museum visiting sites around Hayle during the closure
- Planned new Hayle Museum
- Founded
- 2013
- Operated by
- Harvey's Foundry Trust
Admission & discounts
The centre is closed for renovation; no reopening date has been announced.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The website has an accessible learning section for educational resources.
Kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
The Mobile Museum offers family-friendly craft activities and 3D-printed handling objects while the centre is closed.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Foundry Square (buses 17 and 18)
Hayle station on the London Paddington to Penzance line is less than a five-minute walk away (most, but not all, services stop there). St Erth station, on the St Ives branch line, is 1.6 miles away. Buses 17 (Truro to St Ives) and 18 (Truro to Penzance) stop at Foundry Square, opposite the centre.
By car
Parking available
Foundry Square Car Park is the nearest car park.
National Cycle Network Route 3 passes the door and there is a bike rack on the pavement outside. The centre is also on the South West Coast Path.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
A local history book is sold through the website.
Events & venue rental
The centre is closed for renovation; no reopening date has been announced.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Schools and community groups can book a guided tour or a talk, and speakers can travel to groups. A research service gives access to archive and museum materials. While the centre is closed, a Mobile Museum with a replica Hayle Town Banner, handling objects, an oral history listening post and family craft activities visits locations around Hayle and St Erth. |
