Tin Anniversary
Tin Anniversary in a Tin Mine!
The 10th year of any partnership is a milestone worthy of a special celebration. Traditionally the tenth wedding anniversary gift is tin - a bright malleable metal, symbolising how a successful marriage is strong and stable but also flexible.
The mining of tin became all the more important when, over four thousand years ago, it was discovered that adding it to copper produced a harder and more durable metal. This was the start of the bronze age and saw great advancement in the manufacture of tools and weapons.
Cornwall is famous for its tin mining due to its vast underground deposits of cassiterite - an oxide of the metal. The Cornish landscape is now littered with the ruined remains of hundreds of mines which once supplied the world with tin.
Okel Tor Mine, on the banks of The River Tamar, was the most easterly tin mine in the county. Tin was discovered here in the early 1870s and between 1872 and 1887 a total of 213 tons was produced, with workings reaching 112 fathoms below the Tamar.
Over 130 years since the mine was abandoned nature has reclaimed the 16 area site creating a magical oasis of woodland, heather, gorse and reed bed - now a haven for wildlife.
The Count House was the captain’s office where the miners were paid and the ore assayed whilst the Smithy was where the miners’ tools were made and repaired. These two buildings are now our two lovely riverside retreats set in woodland amongst romantic ivy-clad ruins. With birdsong and wonderful views to wake up to, what could be a more idyllic, appropriate and memorable place to stay to celebrate your tin anniversary.
Each cottage has full central heating and has been tastefully converted and furnished with a comfy sofa, quality linens and a log burning stove to provide a cosy rural hideaway for two.
Looking for a unique Tin Anniversary gift?
Perhaps you are not looking for somewhere to stay yourself but for an original gift to give to loved ones for their tenth anniversary. If so, why not purchase one of our special Tin Anniversary Gift Vouchers for a stay at Okel Tor Mine. Short breaks start at £249 for a 3 night weekend. You can order a bottle of Cornish sparking wine and chocolates by arrangement - please ask.
