Rowena Cade made the minack theatre. she bought the land in the 20s, and through her love of outdoor theatre, she decided there would be nothing nicer than to carve one into the cliff.
With the help of two men, Rowenna cut granite by hand from a pile of boulders. The stones were then inched into place.
The terraces were in-filled with earth, small stones and pebbles shovelled down from the higher ledges. All this work took place on the slope above a sheer drop into the Atlantic.
Rowena Cade had become "The Master Builder". Unable to afford the cost of granite, she developed her own technique for working with cement. Using the tip of an old screwdriver she decorated the surfaces with lettering and intricate Celtic designs before they hardened. It so lushly done when you see it, you can feel the energy and love she had for the project.It was not just the artistic work that she did. Rowena fetched sand from Porthcurno beach: to start with in bags on her back and latterly in her cars, soon rusted out by the sea salt. Her size totally belied what she capable of physically. What a legend of a women. I love her vision and skill. Such a beautiful legacy to leave behind.I am lucky enough to live quite close to the minack, and it is as breathtaking to look at as the pictures suggest. The night time plays are the best, summer night, cushions, lots of blankets, hot toddy's and picnic food make it the best night out ever.
http://www.minack.com/dayvisitors/history.htm
Hey S ;)
ReplyDeleteI had NO idea about the history! Reading your post has urged me on a far greater scale to travel to the Minack. To think essentially the design and construction (save a few others) were developed and executed by this one woman is astounding. The passion she had is so much more evident now. It is a shame that others outside Cornwall have none or very little knowledge of its' history. Really truly amazing. One of the more uplifting stories I've heard in a while.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful tale S.
From your fellow blogger ;)
Eeli xx