The seven villages that make up the ‘Clay Country’ have been defined by the china clay industry since they grew from a scattering of farms in the 19th Century. At its peak in the 1960’s and 70’s, clay from Cornwall was being shipped across the world, used in everything from paper to pharmaceuticals. During this time ECC (English China Clay) was the glue that held these small communities together, with barely a person in the villages not involved in the industry in one way or another.

Today, as with many of the British extraction industries, cheaper prices abroad, and increased automation + mechanisation has led to a large reduction in the workforce. Now, a smaller team is focussed on the remaining clay, whilst other aspects of the landscape is being transformed once again, as alternative uses such as wind and solar power are implemented.

What’s left, is a series of communities that can no longer rely on an industry that has historically supported them. The villages are part of a wider contemporary picture of poverty in Cornwall, that marks it as one of the most deprived regions in Europe.

The images in this series were made predominantly during the 6 years that I lived in Nanpean, one of the seven villages. They represent a sense of the place that goes beyond the fractured land, and the dramatic sky tips, but mostly focusses on the small moments of poetry and despair.  The remnants of the industry loom over all aspects of life here, and the sense of loss can be felt amongst those that continue to live here.

A Multi-Disciplinary Artistic Exploration by Ellie Davies, George Creswell, Lola Claxton Keys and Mark Whenman.