This was the path followed by James Whitburn, a
Cornish engine man, who sailed from Swansea in June 1836, accompanied by his uncle, another engine man, and his 15-year-old son.
The site contains remains of over 200 iconic
Cornish engine houses; the largest concentration of such monuments anywhere in the world, according to Cornish Mining, the official Web site of the historical site.
Local MP Wayne David nominated the Bedwas history group for its work restoring and maintaining the 1868
Cornish Engine House, which was formerly part of Bryngwyn Colliery in Bedwas.
Set in a peaceful location with wildlife pond and small meandering stream the cottage boasts views of the unmistakable old
Cornish engine houses in thedistance.
Clive Engine House at Dyserth, which dates from 1860, is said to be one of the best preserved examples of a
Cornish engine house in Wales.
In 2001, railway enthusiasts celebrated the bicentenary of Richard Trevithick's "
Cornish engine," the world's first self-propelled steam vehicle.
The Grade II listed
Cornish Engine House in Bedwas has had its future secured after a long campaign to save it by local historians and conservationists.
The site also includes remains of one of the oldest
Cornish Engine Houses still existing in Britain.
The oldest variant on display is the Boulton and Watt West
Cornish engine, built in 1820.
Anthony O'Sullivan, county environmental director, said: "The inverted
Cornish engine house was once the unique centrepiece of the thriving Bryngwyn Colliery to which Bedwas owes its initial growth.
An account by James Whitburn, a
Cornish engine man who worked in the mines, reads as follows: "The flogging of the Negroes in this country is most cruel.
The oldest on display is the Boulton and Watt West
Cornish engine, built in 1820.