At the heart of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site are four Cornish beam engines that recall one of the earliest applications of steam power to industry. Two of the beam engines, preserved in towering engine houses, were originally powered by high-pressure steam boilers introduced by the inventor and mining engineer, Richard Trevithick. Along with these engines, including a restored winding engine that can still be seen in action, these machines and the tall stone buildings that housed them are a reminder of Cornwall's days as a world-famous centre of industry, engineering and innovation.