A closer look at the Egyptian House on Penzance's historic Chapel Street. Built in the 1830s, it was modelled on a museum in Piccadilly, London at a time when there was somewhat of a craze for 'Egyptology' in Britain. Despite all the Egyptian references there is a royal coat of arms on the facade to remind us where we are. The building's first owner was John Lavin, a local geologist who originally used it to house his mineral collection. These days it has a shop down stairs and the rest are accommodation.
