Wendron Consols
Mines

Wendron Consols

Disclaimer: the engine house is definitely in the photos. Behind all the green stuff. Honestly.

Wendron Consols

Wendron Consols opened as an underground mine in 1851/2, although records show it was working for at least 90 years previously (and possibly as early as 1493 as tin streaming works). It was a moderately successful mine that worked six lodes, producing both copper and tin. From 1854, its neighbour Wheal Roots and the Trenear stamps were put under the same management and the majority of its ore was sent to this site for processing. Wendron Consols closed for good in 1869.

Wendron Consols

In 1855, a 60″ pumping engine was built and pumped out of four different shafts, using flat rods to achieve this. At this time, 24 heads of stamps were being run by waterwheels, with another 8 heads being added shortly after.

In 1860, a pumping engine was erected on Baldee’s lode. This would have been to the east of Engine shaft, although nothing of this remains today. The number of stamps was increased to 51 heads, with a further 4 being added the following year.

Wendron Consols

In 1867, a 70″ pumping engine with 2 boilers, a 50″ pumping engine and 18″ whim with 1 boiler were advertised for sale. The same 70″ and 18″ engines were for sale again each year after. In terms of winding engine houses, all my resources have contradicted each other so here’s a list: Spargo: 1864 24″ winding engine house, Acton and Brown: 18″ whim, advertised for sale in 1866, Hamilton Jenkin: 22″ whim erected in 1860.

Lodes included Richard’s, Flander’s, Liddlecote, Hurrler’s/Main, Grace and Grenfell. Output for the mine between 1854-1869 was 2,390 tons of tin and 48 tons of 16% copper.

The mine had a number of shafts: Engine (55-fathom/100m), Hill’s (80-fathoms/146m), Richard’s (20-fathoms/37), Barclay’s (12-fathoms/22m), Bishop’s (12-fathoms/22m), Hurler’s (32-fathoms/59), Robert’s (22-fathoms/40m), Sleeman’s (35-fathoms/64m) and an unnamed shaft (35-fathoms/64m).