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Summary

A tin mine at the foot of the north west slopes of Carn Galver (also known as Wheal Rose).

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Cornwall SURVEY NAME (temporary): NT 94448
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 33236

Monument Type(s):

• MINE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

A tin mine at the foot of the north west slopes of Carn Galver (also known as Wheal Rose) was visited by Herring in 1986 (h1, b16). There are two early references to the tin stamping mills in this valley in 1678 (b1) and 1724 (b2) suggest a mine was operational in the vicinity then. A plan of the mine bounds shows Huel Gollewa here in 1728 (b3). The first map of the layout of the buildings is from 1834 (b4), little change from 1842 Tithe Map (b7) although newspaper reports indicate some activity before temporary enclosure in 1840 (b5 and 6). Between 1837 and 1839, 195 tons of black tin were sold and in 1838 the mine employed 116 people (b11 and b16). Called Morvah and Zennor United Tin Mines in this period (162137) and was worked with Morvah Hill Mine (40683) (b15, b16).
Re-opened 1851, deep adit driven from base of the cliff. New engine installed. John Coulston of Penzance experimented with ways of bringing fresh air to underground workings (b15) Closed in 1869 (b8, b15, b16). Re-opened again in 1871 with three new engines, including a steam stamps (site 33245) and employing 70 people. Closed in 1875 (see b9, b10, b15 and b16). Stamping until 1861 was carried out in the Porthmoina valley at either of the two stamping mills there (SW 332312 and SW 30793). After 1861 it was transferred to the stamps in the Portmeor Valley (SW 33247) and then in 1871 also at the steam stamps (SW 33245)(b16). Extant remains at the main extraction site include three engine houses (SW 33236.1-3), two of which are fairly well preserved, a detached chimney stack, a coal yard (SW 33236.6), a smithy (SW 33236.7), the main pumping and winding shaft, now blocked (SW 33236.8) and a row of lesser shafts (SW 33236.9). Reservoirs for the boilers and leats feeding them also survive (SW 33236.10) (b16).

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Site history:
1: 1986. HERRING, PC / CAU
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<1> UNKNOWN, 1678, DEED RELATING TO PART OF ROSEMERGY, DOC NO B51 (Unedited Source). SCO5460.

<2> UNKNOWN, 1724, CONVEYANCE RELATING TO PART OF ROSEMERGY, DOC NO B58 (Unedited Source). SCO5515.

<3> Moody, C, 1782, Survey of Tin Bounds ... The Property of Samuel Borlase and Others, DOC NO B161 (Unpublished document). SCO5132.

<4> RIC Collection, 1834, Map of Borlase Holdings in Bosigran and Rosemergy, HJ8217 (Unpublished document). SCO3619.

<5> UNKNOWN, 1840, UNKNOWN TITLE, 20/5/1840 (Unedited Source). SCO5935.

<6> UNKNOWN, 1840, ADVERT FOR SALE OF MATERIALS, 7/8/1840 (Unedited Source). SCO5932.

<7> Tithe Award, 1840s, Zennor (Bibliographic reference). SCO4940.

<8> UNKNOWN, 186-, PLAN OF MINE CIRCA 1869, MRO R313 A (Unedited Source). SCO6119.

<9> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<10> UNKNOWN, 1875, WAGES BOOK, DD RG 192 (Unedited Source). SCO6338.

<11> Collins, JH, 1912, Observations on the West of England Mining Region, 535 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3168.

<12> Jenkin, AKH, 1961-70, Mines and Miners of Cornwall, PT 1, 10 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3635.

<13> Barton, DB, 1967, A History of Tin Mining and Smelting in Cornwall, 159 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2786.

<14> Barton, DB, 1967, A History of Tin Mining and Smelting in Cornwall, 159 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2786.

<15> Noall, C, 1982, St Ives Mining District, 100-110 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3994.

<16> Herring, PC, 1987, Bosigran, Zennor, 46-51, 94-101 & FIGS 20-23 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3569.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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