Unity Wood Mine sits near Scorrier, mostly hidden amongst the trees of Unity Wood. Originally known as Wheal Bush, this mine has been working since at least the 16th century, with tin workings dotted throughout the wood.
In 1790 the Great County Adit reached the sett, allowing for deeper lodes to be reached. While it may have started as a tin mine, in the early 18th century it also became a significant copper producer which lasted until 1843 when output ground to a halt.
The mine was reopened in 1870 for tin and the remaining engine houses were built during this period, but work only lasted for a further 10 years. Between 1880-85 it was opened as West Poldice and again as Tolgullow United from 1886 to 1903.
Between 1898-1900, the area was worked in combination with its neighbour Creegbrawse. The mine was worked for a final time in 1912 alongside another neighbour Killifreth.
Magor’s (100-fathoms/183m), Blamey’s, Trefusis (100-fathoms/183m), Peter’s, Jeffery’s, Foodways/Paul’s (80-fathoms/146m), Painter’s/Henderson’s (50-fathoms/91m), Tremaine’s, Pits-an-bollar, Wood, William’s, Reed’s, Old, Tonkin’s, Oate’s, Davey’s, Broad’s/Tregullow’s, Trestrail’s, Harper’s, Sandow’s/Symon’s and Skip.
Middle, Pits-an-vollar and Trefusis,
1815-36, 38 and 52
21,620 tons (21,966,934 kg) 6% copper, 570 tons (579,147 kg) tin, 129 tons (131,070 kg) of arsenic, 21 tons (21,337 kg) of pyrite and 1.5 tons (1,524 kg), of lead.
1832-6 and 1874-84
1,152 tons (1,170,486 kg) 7.5% of copper
1837 and 1851
650 tons (660,430 kg) of tin
1882-1903
570 tons (579,147 kg) of tin, 20 tons (20,321 kg) of 15% copper, 222 tons (223,530 kg) of arsenic, 152 tons (154,439 kg) of mispickel and 185 tons (187,969 kg) of ochre.
Engine Houses
1819 – 52″ engine on Wood’s
1819 – 60″ and 58″ engines
1834 – 80″ on William’s
1872 – 70″ pumping engine on Magor’s
1872 – 20″ whim and stamps on Trefusis
60″ pumping engine on Western
20″ whim and copper crusher on William’s
Manual capstan and horse whim on Reed’s
The whole of this mine is available through permissive footpaths through Unity Wood and there’s another path to the engine houses in Todpool. While the shafts have been capped to varying degrees, some do look a bit dodgy, so definitely no clambering around.
There is no official parking for this mine site.
Acton, B. (2000) Exploring Cornwall’s Tramway Trails: Volume 2. Truro: Landfall Publications.
Brown, K. and Acton, B. (2007) Exploring Cornish Mines: Volume Two. 2nd edn. Truro: Landfall Publications.
Dines, H. G. (1956) The metalliferous mining regions of south-west England. British Geological Survey.
Hamilton-Jenkin, A. K. (1963) Mines and Miners of Cornwall: VI Around Gwennap. Truro: Truro Bookshop.
Nance, D. and Brown, K. (2014) A complete guide to the engine houses of West Cornwall. Gloucestershire: Lightmoor Press.