Showing visitors around your own home may not appeal to most people, however during the summer season a Penponds family do just that when they open up part of their cottage to fans of Camborne's most famous son.

Trevithick's former parlour.

The Humphrey family moved into Richard Trevithick's former cottage in 1995 when the National Trust advertised for people to live there. One room is open for the public to look around.

Lois Humphrey and her husband show visitors the former parlour room on Wednesday afternoons.

"It works quite well," she says.

The room still has the original wooden panelling and contains a host of Trevithick memorabilia and a replica 18th Century fireplace. There are also various pictures of the family and of the house prior to refurbishment.

In one corner hang two portraits, one is a copy of Trevithick - the original hangs in the science museum - the other is of his wife Jane Harvey.

Lois Humphrey holds a picture of the cottage in Trevithick's time.

The cottage in Penponds was built 1700. Richard Trevithick lived there for most of his life from childhood in the 1770's before marrying Jane Harvey in 1797. Although his work often took him away across the Tamar and overseas, Trevithick returned to the cottage when he was in Cornwall.

Recognising the cottage as an important aspect of Cornwall's industrial heritage, it was rescued by the Cornish Engines Preservation Society in the 1900's. The National Trust then opened the property to the public when they took over ownership in 1967.

The cottage originally had two downstairs rooms and one upstairs but has since been extended.

I didn't know a lot about Trevithick when I moved here, but you pick up a lot. Lois Humphrey

Lois Humphrey says that most of the visitors to the cottage are Trevithick enthusiasts and therefore interested in the building as a piece of history.

"I've learnt a lot myself," she says.

"I didn't know a lot about Trevithick when I moved here, but you pick up a lot."

The cottage receives around 200 visitors each year and the visitor book contains names from all over the world.

Trevithick's Cottage is now managed by the Trevithick Trust. Set up in 1993, the Trust manages various industrial museums across Cornwall.

People who want to visit the cottage can do so on Wednesday afternoons between 2pm and 5pm from Easter to October. Contact Mr and Mrs Humphrey on 01209 612154 for more details.