The Count House

The Count House is a building that now serves as accommodation for an army training camp. It was constructed in the early 19th century and is made of slatestone rubble with a dry slate roof and brick end stacks. The building has a double-depth plan and stands two storeys tall with a three-window range. It features segmental brick arches over a central door and horned 6/6-pane sash windows, along with a canted oriel window to the right that also has sash windows. Similar sash windows are found at the rear. Although the interior was not inspected, the Count House is noted as an unusually complete surviving example of its type. It played a significant role in managing the allocation of underground leases, or pitches, in the mines. The first floor was used for meetings, and the oriel window, which is a very rare survival, was where the auctioning of pitches took place during setting day. Detailed records of its activities exist from 1849 to 1870, a period when lead, silver, and haematite were mined in four shafts at Penhale Mine. The Count House is associated with the Wheal Golden, Phoenix, and Gravel Hill mines.