Sometimes, when I am asked to put forward an idea for a sculpture commission, I find an almost complete concept comes to mind almost instantly. Then if I am fortunate enough to win such a commission, all that is required is for me to carve the idea in stone so that the you can see what I have seen. This journey to create the miners 175th memorial sculpture has been one of those rare occasions.

The sculpture is both a memorial to the 39 men and boys who lost their lives as well as a celebration of 160 who were saved. There is a strong message of hope at its heart and that of being ‘saved’: as there are those who were saved by their fellow miners or the mine captain, and those who actually lost their lives are being saved by the hand of God reaching down to lift them heavenward. The lettering reads…

Though waters rise  Hold on to Hope  He will not leave you  9th July 1846

The frame and words, which surround the carved relief have the main title of the sculpture in silver leaf and this is a reference to the fact that the mine was famous for extracting silver and lead ore…there are 4 corner pieces of lead which I have shaped to frame the main lettering. The T in the word ‘to’ I have carved as a cross to hint at the main feature below being that of the eternal rescue through Christ. For only through Christ are we offered our own salvation. And a tiny carving of St. Piran is placed deep in the mine area. These are important details which help to tell the story of this moment in history.

The actual slate for this sculpture has had it’s own history as well, as for over 150 years it was used for washing the linen of the main farm house near Poundstock from where it came. The slate would have been flat on the ground and would have had 4 sides of about 14 inches in height which were set into the channel which surrounds the main lettering and central image. I decided to leave that channel as it was so we did not lose that part of it’s history.

The main central feature is carved as a relief with 2 sections.

1: A powerful arm reaches down to pull up a miner who is submerged by the rising waters within the mine. This could be seen as the mine captain John Middleton, who was instrumental in organising the villagers to aid in the rescue by offering 10 schillings to each man who would go to the mine to help. Or a mining father, reaching for his son: there is documented evidence that this happened, as the father had worked himself free during the flood but then went back to find his son who was still below ground. Or as the hand of God reaching down to rescue those men and boys who were lost to the flooding waters. There is quite a bit of evidence of prayers and deeds done in the name of God by those trapped and unable to get free. Salvation is the key to the main feature, for we need only ask and ‘He’ will be with us.

2: Behind the arms, there is a divide across the middle section of the sculpture where I have split the above ground level and the below ground levels. The upper section shows the mine building, the engine house and the stack, all set at the base of the valley floor and the stormy skies heavy with the coming rain. The topography of the landscape is such that with so much rain falling so quickly, the surface water created a flash flood which ran down hill in all directions and into the mine shafts. The below section shows the underground area of the mine and here I have carved steps and archways which lead in and out of the mine as well as shafts of silver with pit props holding up the ceilings. Then there is a carving of St Piran, with 23.5ct gold leaf surrounding the figure. This is done to show that the ‘light’ of God’s love is present wherever we are, even deep underground in this, the darkest of situations.

I believe that in this post Covid time we are experiencing, we all need to hold on to a little bit of hope. Although this sculpture is designed to remember those 39 lost in this disaster, it also has a message for this time we are all living through now. One which is simple enough for all to understand. If we all aim to hold out a hand of help to those around us who are in need, we will be building hope in our community and in that ‘hope’ will be a reflection of God’s love for us all.

It has been a great honour and privilege to make this work for the community here at St Newlyn East.

Benjamin. C. Dearnley July 2021