"The china clay pit where Eden is located was originally 2 pits, Carvear and Bodelva. Carvear was originally the largest pit and would have occupied the south west side of Eden and Bodelva the north east side.

From accounts in Rita Barton's book "The Cornish China Clay Industry" Bodelva started in 1825 and Carvear was recorded as "working" by 1827, so they both stated at about the same time. Carvear did not work much after the Second World War but Bodelva continued through WW2 and eventually worked through into Carvear Pit in 1955. Bodelva/Carvear remained in production until being sold to Eden which opened on 17th March 2001."

"The original name of the pit worked by Carvear China Clay Works was Bodelva Pit. This pit hat limited output because the clay was discoloured pink which ruled out many markets except for one. China clay is used in the production of newsprint and one significant customer was the Financial Times which to this day is still printed on pink paper.

The clay pit in which the Eden project is sited was in use for over 160 years. In 1981, the pit was used by the BBC as the planet surface of Magrathea in the TV series 'the Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy'

By the mid-1990s the pit was all but exhausted. It appears that the pit was worked by companies other than Carvear (Carvear Moor is just to the south of Bodelva)

The orginisation of work was similar to that of tin and copper mining in the early nineteenth century. This meant that workers would travel from pit to pit, both clay and metal according to the availability of pitches.

Might be worth searching the tithe maps of 1841 which may possibly hve reference to the pit.

The major landowners in the area were the Rashliegh family. Charles Rashleigh built Charleston harbour between 1791 and 1802 which was used to ship out china clay "

The families of Solomon Butson and his wife Jane Keam and their 9 children and of her brother Humphrey Keam and his wife Mary Clemo and their 4 children all lived in the cottage shown in the photo and marked on the map at the top of this page. The cottage was divided into two separate living quarters by the hearth wall that used to be below where the center chimney can be seen. The hearth wall has now been removed to convert the cottage into a single family home. The perpendicular stones to the left of the driveway are original hearthstones.

The cottage was owned by Jane and Humphrey's father Robert Keam. Born 1740 at Luxulyan, Robert was buried 8 Jan 1837 at the St. Blazey churchyard. His will (AP/K 1191), dated 6 May 1836, was probated 12 Apr 1837. He left the cottage to Jane and Humphrey: "I give the dwelling house garden and premises now occupied by my son Humphrey to all his Children that shall be living at the time of my decease during all my interest therein share and share alike as tenants in common. I give the dwelling house garden and premises now occupied by my daughter Joan & her Husband to all her Children that shall be living at the time of my decease during all my interest therein share and share alike as tenants in common