Progress continues at Cornish National Library & Archive (Kresen Kernow) Redruth, Kernow

Construction work is continuing to go well on the Kresen Kernow site. The historic Brewhouse and the new archive store and staff areas have now been linked internally and across the roof, so the huge temporary cover over the central section of the building has come down. Much of the external scaffolding has also been removed, finally revealing how the finished building will look. It’s a mix of repaired and repointed original granite and stonework, and modern concrete cladding (on the strongrooms), all under a roof that echoes that of the Brewery when it was last in use. Inside, the original granite flagstones have been re-laid in the exhibition area in the Brewhouse and many of the internal walls are being plastered. The final layer of flooring has been poured in the archive store rooms and 14 miles of shelving is currently being installed. 

The existing sites - Cornwall Record Office and the Cornish Studies Library - closed earlier in September to free staff up to prepare the collections for the move. There are around 1.5 million items to move, which includes over 100 000 books, 40 000 maps and 220 000 photographs and postcards.