Mithian, in Cornwall, is an ancient settlement first recorded in 1201 and likely inhabited even earlier, possibly as part of Tywarnhayle Manor. In later centuries Mithian was transformed by mining which, along with agriculture, dominated the local economy. Dozens of mines—Wheal Albion, Wheal Goshen, Wheal Liberty among them—thrived nearby, leaving a legacy of cottages and old mine workings. At the centre of village life stands The Miners Arms, claimed to date from 1577, though some of that dating is uncertain. The current building has 17th-century fabric with later additions and it has played many roles over time—as inn, public house, venue for inquests, and place of local social gathering. Local lore says that the secret tunnel linking the Miners Arms with the old Manor House across the road was used for smuggling, or as an escape route for Catholic clergy during the Reformation. Over time, Mithian supported several shops, a post office, a cobbler and a clothes shop. It also had its own chapel built in 1836, reflecting the strong Cornish Methodist tradition. In 1846 Mithian became an ecclesiastical parish in its own right, carved from parts of neighbouring parishes. The parish church, dedicated to St Peter and built in 1861, stands north of Chiverton Cross. The Miners Arms is still very much the social heart of the village along with the Village Hall which was built as a reading room by the famous philanthropist John Passmore Edwards, born in nearby Blackwater. Today it is maintained by the Village Association who also organise local events. Mithian remains a close-knit, year-round community. If you would like to know more about our history, we thoroughly recommend Tony Mansell’s book ‘Mithian’.
