For important guidance on the use of this record, please click here.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

An ancient and important copper producer, site of some of the earliest advances in Watt's steam engine improvements

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 32992: Great Wheal Busy Engine House and Mine Buildings

Other References/Statuses

• Heritage at Risk (National): HE, South West
• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 361.1.1
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 19318
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s):

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

Full description

Otherwise known as Chacewater Mine or Great Busy, the first mention of Wheal Busy is in 1666. From the early 18th century, this area at the eastern end of the central mining region, rich in both copper and tin, became the focus for intense activity and was the site at which James Watt introduced some of his most important improvements in steam engine design. The profit on the first working is said to have been £200,000. In 1822 the mine was 128 fathoms deep and by 1838 employed 112 people.
By 1842 the mine had been abandoned at 220 fathoms deep, was flooded and working only above adit level (46 fathoms), but by 1856 it had once again started operations and been drained to 150 fathoms below adit. Equipment on the mine included an 85'' pumping engine, 31'' and 20 '' stamping and crushing engines, and two 22'' winding engines (b1). The mine was suspended in 1873.
In 1893 a proposal by R.H. Williams and others to form a company to work the mine with Hallenbeagle, North Downs, Great Briggan and Wheal Rose came to nothing and that of the Killifreth Company to work it for arsenic in 1920 failed due to a sudden fall in the price. The dumps have since been worked over for arsenic and wolfram.
From 1815 to 1870 it produced large quantities of copper, and after that date was wrought largely for arsenic. The bulk of the copper output was raised before 1856 when the mine was 100 fathoms below Deep Adit level, below this level both tin and copper were worked (b1).
Between 1817 and 1924, 753 tons of arsenic were produced. In addition the mine produced some lead ore, silver and pyrite (b2).
Two parts of the complex - an engine house and a workshop - are scheduled (19318.01 & 19318.02). A number of other structures of architectural significance have been designated as Listed Buildings, including most of the mine boundary stones, the arsenic calciner at Wheal Busy and Zimapan House: formerly a mine count house. Numerous shafts, buildings, lode back workings, and extensive spoil tips are visible on air photographs (p1) and were plotted as part of the NMP.

Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 2014, Wheal Busy Mine (Report). SCO27340.

RAF, 1946, 106G/1663/3071&2 (Photographic Record). SCO9783.

<1> Dines, HG, 1956, The Metalliferous Mining Region of South-West England, 389 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3217.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<3> UNKNOWN, 1974, UNKNOWN TITLE, NO 5, 12 (Unedited Source). SCO8270.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1900s, 2nd Edition 6 Inch Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4051.

<5> Thomas, R, 1819, Geological Map of the Mining District Between Camborne and Chacewater (Bibliographic reference). SCO4697.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1810-13, 1st Edition OS 1 Inch:1 Mile Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4046.

<7> Spargo, T, 1865, The Mines of Cornwall, PT 4, 21 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4470.

<8> Hill, J. and MacAlister, D, 1906, The geology of Falmouth and Camborne and of the mining district of Camborne and Redruth, 223 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3591.

<9> Collins, JH, 1912, Observations on the West of England Mining Region, 431, 578 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3168.

<10> Ordish, HG, 1967, Cornish Engine Houses, 15 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4044.

<11> Trounson, JH, 1968, Historic Mining Scenes at Surface, 54 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4961.

<12> Bird, RH, 1974, Britain's Old Metal Mines - Pictorial Survey, 25 (Bibliographic reference). SCO2855.

<13> Smiles, S, 1878, Lives of the Engineers: the Steam Engine - Boulton and Watt, 174 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4433.

<14> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009 South West (Bibliographic reference). SCO24113.

<15> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010 South West (Bibliographic reference). SCO24114.

<16> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011 South West (Bibliographic reference). SCO24115.

<16> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2012, Heritage at Risk Register 2012 South West (Bibliographic reference). SCO25275.

<16> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2014, Heritage at Risk Register 2014 South West (Bibliographic reference). SCO26037.

<17> Cornwall Council, 1975-present, Historic Environment Record Information File, drawings in info file 1961 (Unpublished document). SCO24104.

<18> Smith, C, 1976, Cornish Mine Buildings, 35-36 (Unpublished document). SCO27447.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO4504 - Wheal Busy Mine (Ref: 2013R084)

Related records

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.