Is this building in Cornwall?

[allystree]

Can anyone identify this building which is in the background of an unidentified portrait? I think there is one similar near the South West Coast path perhaps between Fowey and Polperro? I am sure I saw it in the background of a TV program Walking Through History, which I saw recently here in Australia. I think the sitter of the portrait is a relative who had close connections to Cornwall, who wrote a book or two about Cornish mining c1848 [/img]

[Elwyn Soutter]

Just guessing really but the signal arm looks moveable. Was it for signalling to passing ships?

[catfordcrooner]

looks like a tower crane

[allystree]

Yes the arm does look movable and it appears in the portrait the sea is just behind the building. The building I saw on the TV program was right on the coast with the sea behind it. I have recorded the TV program so I will watch it again and take a photo of the building I saw I think. The information noted on the National Trust site about the portrait says the building is a church but I can't see that. I have been in contact with the NT about some unidentified portraits which are held at Cragside and I have noticed that some of the portraits have little clues in the background which are relevant to the sitters. I have been looking at pictures of old Cornish Mines for a few months trying to identify the building and then I saw it on TV last week! Here is the portrait

[Little Nell]

It doesn't look familiar as being where you thought it might be. 

This is a link to the leaflet about the programme that I think you are referring to.

http://www.channel4.com/microsites/W/Walking-Through-History/Walking-Through-History2-Cornwall.pdf

I haven't found any particular mention of something like this.

There is the Bass Point Signal Station but that is down on the Lizard.  This is a picture of it as it is now:

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/31480
and
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2096482

It is within NT land.

Nell

Edited to add another link for a better photo.

[Ruskie]

Can I see the feint outline of a wheel on that building?

My first impression was something related to mining (especially as you said he wrote books on the subject) as logically it would make sense to include an image related to his expertise. Maybe a windmill type of contraption or a pump.

I can't see anything online which fits but this is maybe a little similar:
http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-mining-headframe-image3987284
It appears to be called a 'mining headframe'.

I imagine there would have been thousands of them and some may remain in Cornwall as I believe they have preserved a lot of their mining heritage.
(the painting may also not be an accurate representation as the artist may have painted this from description of how it looked rather than having seen it himself)

[Little Nell]

Interesting thought re the mine - it looks like Geevor in the picture you provided the link for, but I don't see it really.  That particular head shaft was sunk in the early 20th century, and I think that painting might be older than that.    Older mines were stone-built towers with less metal.

Nell

[Ruskie]

Yes, it doesn't quite fit any images I can find though the base looks very solid, hence me wondering if a little artistic licence was taken. (the image was just an example of the kind of thing it may be). There does look to be some kind of signal or pulley arrangement on top, but I don't have a clue about this kind of thing so it's just a guess. 

I would image there is little chance of it still surviving anyway or of being able to identify it's exact location.

[KGarrad]

I think it's a semaphore tower - and probably built as one of the Royal Navy Semaphore Line?

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semaphore_line
Where there is a nice picture!

Or, for a better picture:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1955831