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Wheal Basset

Caitlin — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:52:14 +0000

A common site along the heritage cycle path near Carnkie, the wonderful Wheal Basset is just a small part of a much bigger mine.

Mining started here as early at the 16th century, with the mine Carnkie Bal operating on the same site. Shafts can be seen on the site on maps dating from 1737 and the area would have been worked as part of North Basset and South Wheal Frances before becoming a mine in its own rite. The lease for Wheal Basset was granted in 1851 and over the next ten years grew in size. By 1865 248 men, 46 women and 63 boys were employed and the mine had numerous engine houses.

The most prominent engine house of the Wheal Basset sett belongs to the stamps engine built in 1868 which was erected with its neighouring vanner house. An incline tramway was then installed from Lyle’s shaft at the bottom of the valley up to the new engine, powered by a 12′ steam hoist.

A change in copper prices for the worst meant that mining the ore became unviable by 1870 and the mine switched to predominantly tin production, altering their dressing floor to compensate. The North Basset section of the mine was nearly exhausted by this point, and eventually closed two years later. Some of the western parts were sold to South Wheal Frances.

In 1878 the mine went back and revisited the North Basset mine, deepening these sections led to discovery of the Great Flat Lode tin deposits. Lyle’s shaft became the main focus for some time and new equipment was installed.

Despite this, over the next fifteen years the financial situation continued to worsened. Tin prices continued to drop and older machinery could no longer be maintained. In 1896 the sett was amalgamated with South Wheal Frances and West Basset to form Basset Mines Ltd.

The joint venture lasted until 1918. The onset of WWI saw a significant loss of workers, which along with every increasing costs meant it could go on no more. Ore prices continued to drop and couldn’t pay the expense of pumping three million galloons of water from the mine. Several of the engine houses, especially Pascoe’s, needed expensive repair work.

One last attempt began in 1938 and new dressing equipment was installed to rework the old burrows. The scheme was unsuccessful and put up for sale and the British and Malayan Tin Syndicate stopped work in the last 1940’s.

Engine Houses

Basset Mine had a number of engine houses over its life. The prominent remains belong to some of its later engines; at the base of the valley are the two houses on Lyle’s shaft. One is the 80′ pumping engine made by Harvey & Co in 1879 – to make this house, four other engine houses were demolished to provide the stone. The other is the 27′ whim, built just a year later. This was put aside about ten years later and a 24′ horizontal engine used instead.

Across the valley alongside the cycle path is the remains of the two 30′ rotary beam engines that worked 96 heads of stamps. These were erected in 1868 (although another text states the second wasn’t added until 1882) and worked until they were converted into an ore bin during the 1940 reworked, feeding 20 heads of California stamps instead.

During the 1890’s, another whim was installed on Miner’s shaft, this being a 24′ horizontal whim. Close to Lyle’s shaft is the remains of the small engine that circulated water around the dressing floor and may have done some crushing as well.

One of the engine houses demolished and recycled at Lyle’s was the one at Theager’s shaft; this was at work in 1876, but there’s no documented erection date. Others at Sump and Richard’s shaft were demolished at the same time. Remains of yet another house have been found at Robert’s shaft, although this doesn’t appear on any ordinance maps.

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Hallenbeagle Mine

Caitlin — Fri, 05 Aug 2022 09:00:37 +0000

Not far from the rail line that runs from Redruth to Truro is the remains of two engine houses belonging to Hallenbeagle Mine.

Hallenbeagle Mine was at work by 1835, producing over 30,ooo tons (30,481,407 kg) of copper by 1846. During the first few years of the 1860’s it was reworked as part of Great Wheal Busy along with several other neighbouring mines, but separated again in 1864. Just prior to the 1870’s, it was again mined with another mine, this time East Downs.

From 1843, one of its shafts was reopened in search of tungsten after some had been found in some nearby dumps. However, the shafts had been filled with sawdust which proved difficult to remove; once the miners finally got to the 140ft level, they cleared 230ft if ground, but found no tungsten.

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There are two engine houses, the most intact being the 60″ pumping engine built in 1864 by Harvey & Co for Reed’s shaft. It was later sold to Perran Wheal Virgin mine in 1870.

Little remains of the smaller 22″ whim engine, which also worked from Reed’s shaft. This engine was moved to Dooneen Mine in Ireland in 1872.

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Polberro Mine

Caitlin — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 07:26:48 +0000

Situated on the cliffs south of Trevaunance Cove are the scant remains of Polberro Mine.

Polberro is an ancient mine composed to a great number of smaller setts. These include Trevaunance, The Pell, Wheal an Cleath, Pulstean, Seal Hole, North Seal Hole, East and North Pell, Dolga/Carnmeal, Balnoon, Old Polberro, East Trevaunance, Wheal Squidler, Wheal Prosper, Wheal Park, Wheal Hope, Wheal Sperries, Wheal Kine, Wheal Paul and Wheal Ferrol.

It originated as lots of small open cuts and adits scattered across the cliff, much like it’s neighbour Wheal Luna. Over time this developed into an unmappable mix of tunnels and stopes. Even the above ground parts of the mine were a jumble, with dressing floors next to the cliff while the engines were mostly inland away from the main shafts and all sorts in between.

Some of its earliest mines date from the 17th century, although the more serious work took place from 1800 onwards. Several engine houses were erected on the site, stopping and restarting several times, putting its equipment up for sale numerous times.

In 1843 it was working under the name Royal Polberro and was visited by Queen Victoria three years later. It closed again in 1848, with work commencing just two years after, producing 200 tons (203,209 kg) of tin a year. Underground work stopped during the 1870’s, with focused turned to processing the burrows. Between 1886-92 there was another attempt to make the sett work, but this too failed. In 1892 Polberro was amalgamated with neighbouring Trevaunance mine and continued until 1895 when low tin prices forced another closure.

The final endeavour occurred between 1937 and 41 under the name Polberro Tin Ltd. The engine house on Trevaunance mine was converted into a miners dry and a new dressing floor installed. Electrical equipment was moved from Wheal Kitty and the underground workings were joined with the West Kitty lodes, however discoveries were disappointing. It closed in 1941 due to lack of money, with one of the lodes they were searching for turned out to be disappointment and the other was never reached. Trounson described this as ‘one of the most regrettable happening in Cornwall for many year past”, particularly as he felt that the miners were very close to their goal and only erroneous advice from geologists inexperience’s in St Agnes lodes preventing them from getting there.

The only remaining engine house belongs to Trevaunance mine; a 60″ Harvey & Co engine, this was erected in 1885 and came second hand from North Pool Mine, briefly working at South Penstruthal before moving to St Agnes. In 1902 the engine went to Wheal Friendly.

Seal Hole was the first mine in the St Agnes district to have an engine; a Boulton and Watt 40″ was installed in the 1780’s and sold in 1805. Old Polberro Sump/Engine had a 60″ pumping engine by 1840, Seal Hole 60″ pumping engine by the 1860’s, 50″ pumping engine on Trevaunance Mine in 1885, 60″ pumping engine on Viger’s (could be the Seal Hole engine). An 80″ was put up for sale in 1848.

Two whim engines, a 22″ and 20″ were put up for sale in 1843, with another 18″ from Wheal Coates being erected in 1887. There were at least two stamps engines, one 36″ on the cliff edge that operated 72 heads of stamps and another 30″ stamps.

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New Chiverton Consols

Caitlin — Sat, 12 Mar 2022 07:15:14 +0000

Well camouflaged in a thick layer of ivy near the remains of the former Truro-Newquay Railway is New Chiverton Consols. It was also known as New Wheal Chiverton and Old West Anna, sometimes being referred to as Calley Mine

Opening in 1863 this mine started and remained a small venture. Employing just 50 people, it changed hands a few times, but ultimately closed in 1877.

The engine house present today is a 40″ pumping engine erected in 1868, which alongside a 4 HP crusher, was put up for sale in 1877. Prior to this there was another 40″ engine on the site, this bought second hand from Wheal Alfred in 1864.

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West Wheal Peevor

Caitlin — Sat, 30 Jan 2021 16:20:16 +0000

Across the valley from its more successful neighbour sits the scant remains of West Wheal Peevor, an unsuccessful attempt to work the west ends of Wheal Peevor’s sett.

Started in 1880 to explore the western extensions of Wheal Peevor’s lodes, this venture was a small and very unsuccessful one. Despite the erection of three engine houses and the installation of a dressing floor, this mine only lasted a few years, closing in 1889.

In 1938 Scorrier Wolfram Prospect trialled the site for tungsten, however this didn’t come to anything. Another failed trial occurred in 1950, with a third and final reattempt in 1967-8 by Barcas Mining Co Ltd. This took place at the main Michell’s shaft, but this was found to be blocked and was eventually abandoned.

There were three engine houses on the West Wheal Peevor site. The first was a 50″ pumping engine on Michell’s shaft erected in 1882. In 1968 the top floor had to be removed as it become unstable and a concrete platform installed for an electric hoist. The most prominent engine house held a 22″ stamps engine, likely second hand. This was also built in 1882. The last was an 18″ whim erected around the same time; reports state only the base of this remains today.

The lodes and shafts of this mine are difficult to distinguish from those of Wheal Peevor and Treleigh Consols in the research material (at least without official plans), so hopefully it’s at least mostly correct.

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Walks Around the Redruth Area

Caitlin — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 17:09:47 +0000

Cornwall never fails to provide a walk, and Redruth is no exception. Whether you want countryside, hill top climbs, woods or coastal walks, the Redruth area has it all.

Carn Marth

The highest point in the area at 771 ft tall (235m), a walk up Carn Marth can offer some amazing views. On a clear day you can see up and down each coast and all the way up to St Agnes beacon, the St Austell area, Falmouth and Stithians lake.

Carn Brea

The more famous of the two ‘Carn’s’ and topped with its spectacular castle and cross shaped memorial, Carn Brea makes a wonderful walk. There’s no proper way to approach this walk, although the most straightforward is to take the turning up to the castle from Carnkie, Redruth; this narrow lane ends in the small parking area near the castle.
At the top there are a number of meandering paths around the castle, cross and towards the western end of the hill.

Portreath

One of the closer coastal villages, Portreath is a short drive from Redruth and offers a quaint little beach perfect for walks, as well as an old harbour to meander round. Climb the coastal paths of either side for spectacular views of the north coast.

Tehidy Woods

The largest woodland areas in west Cornwall, Tehidy has paths threading through the trees provide the perfect place to take a walk. The most popular section takes you around the main lake, although other pathways head off from these, some following the river and others going out into the deeper woods.

Great Flat Lode

Once a major centre for mining in Cornwall, the mines that worked this famous lode profited greatly despite worldwide dips in copper prices. Now, the remains of these engineering beasts stand guard over the pathway that was created in recent years to join the mining areas together. The Lode was accessed by a ground of mines stretching along the Southern slopes of Carn Brea, from the Basset mines towards South Condurrow and now long footpaths follow this route. There are trails around Wheal Uny mine, through Wheal Buller riding school to Wheal Basset, up past West Wheal Basset and its separate stamps and then onwards towards South Wheal Francis.

Wheal Peevor

Wheal Peevor, with its trio of fine engine houses is a lovely short walk just outside the main town. This small mine left behind fabulous remains of three different types of engine house and extensive dressing floors, something that is rare to see. Footpaths now wind through this site, making it perfect for walks.

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