On the windowsill in the north aisle of Manaccan church is a small plaque commemorating the discovery of Titanium by Rev William Gregor in 1790 (or 1791). A Cornishman by birth, William Gregor was the Rector of Creed and a well-known amateur scientist.

Shown some black sparkly sand found at Tregonwell Mill, just outside the Manaccan, he identified it as FeTiO3 and named it Menachanite (why not Manaccanite?). It was later re-named Ilmenite after the Ilmensky Mountains in Russia where it was also found.

Tradition has it that the relatively heavy mineral was collected in the waterwheel of the mill which acted like an automatic panning machine. No effort was required.

On the 200th anniversary of the discovery, a small plaque was erected on a barn at the mill (just visible in the photograph, above the small window).

You can still find some of that black sand in Gillan Creek today. The mill wheel has gone but, with a little bit of deft panning, you can walk in the steps of William Gregor.

They do say … that there is also gold in that there stream but sadly we don’t think the flecks in our pan are gold.