Lowarth Holman opens in Camborne where Holman Brothers once stood

The wind and rain had other plans for last Saturday (24 October), so the party moved indoors. Nobody seemed to mind much. Camborne had a new garden to open.

The celebration for Lowarth Holman, the town’s newest green space, was held in the Centenary Wesleyan Church in Camborne, and the turnout showed how much the place already means to people locally.

Harriet Hills, the High Sheriff of Cornwall, joined Town Clerk Jon James and Councillor Ed Chapman, Mayor of Camborne, for a public event with a half-hour programme of singing from the Holman Climax Male Voice Choir, music from acoustic duo Bossa Nova Kernow and a circus skills workshop from Hotch Potch Performance. There were stalls too, and free refreshments.

📷The Holman Climax Male Voice Choir at the Centenary Wesleyan Church. Credit: PR4Photos

From factory site to garden

Until recently the land was known as Kerrier Way, a redundant brownfield site near Tesco. Long before that, it was home to the historic Holman Brothers factory.

It has now been turned into landscaped gardens with a grassed amphitheatre, accessible pathways and sustainable trees and shrubs. Bespoke public art, produced and designed by Create CIC, nods to Camborne’s mining legacy throughout.

📷Credit: PR4Photos

One of ten Town Deal projects

Lowarth Holman is one of ten projects to benefit from £23.7m in Government Town Deal funding. The work was managed by Camborne Town Council and overseen by Cornwall Council, which administers the Town Deal fund.

Jon, who compered the proceedings, said: “Lowarth Holman connects the past and future. It’s a community space that current generations can enjoy whilst also celebrating the important legacy that previous generations left us.”

📷Harriet Hills, High Sheriff of Cornwall, at the Lowarth Holman opening. Credit: PR4Photos

“The beginning” for Lowarth Holman

The High Sheriff congratulated everyone involved in bringing the project to fruition.

And the Mayor made it clear the work is far from finished. “This isn’t the end of the project but the beginning,” said Councillor Chapman, adding that more improvements are likely as time goes on.

He also paid tribute to Kirk Hough, Director of KHC Groundworks, who sadly died during the restoration process.

A celebration cake, made specially for the occasion, was cut by the High Sheriff and the Mayor.

📷Councillor Zoe Fox and the Mayor plant a tree to mark the opening of Lowarth Holman. Credit: PR4Photos

A tree to mark the day

Several days later, with the weather a little kinder, Councillor Zoe Fox and the Mayor returned to the gardens to plant a tree in honour of the grand opening.

Val Dalley, Chair of Camborne Town Deal, was among the many people at the opening event.

“It’s wonderful to see another of our ten projects completing,” she said. “Lowarth Holman is the gateway to Camborne town centre and the difference it’s already making is significant and impressive.

“There are many memories associated with the site and doubtless many more will be made now and in the future.”

📷The High Sheriff and the Mayor of Camborne cut the celebration cake. Credit: PR4Photos

📷Credit: PR4Photos

📷Credit: PR4Photos

📷Credit: PR4Photos

📷Credit: PR4Photos

📷Credit: PR4Photos