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Summary

An extremely well preserved water powered stamping mill of late C18 or early C19 date on the cliffs above Portmoina cove.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Cornwall SURVEY NAME (temporary): NT
• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 289.43
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 30793

Monument Type(s):

• STAMPING MILL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

An extremely well preserved stamping mill of late C18 or early C19 date is located on the cliffs above Porthmoina cove. Referred to in 1724 as "a certain stamping mill called Polmana stamps" as this site had its leat on the Bosigran side of the stream while the 1724 site had its in Rosemergy (b1 and see 33231). It is recorded on the 1842 Tithe map as an L-shaped building with a waterwheel at its south end and with three sub-rectangular tanks to the west, two reservoirs and a leat to the east (b3). It was leased for twenty one years from 1843 to brothers John and William Eddy (b4). By 1876 and the 1st Edition OS 1:2500 map c1880 the site was abandoned and roofless (b5), possibly as a result of the erection of Bosigran stamps on the Porthmeor stream in 1861. In 1961 Mercer, prior to scheduling the site, recorded a water mill near Bosigran castle comprising stone built leats running into two 3.6m deep wheel channels still standing. The body of the mill still survived with a massive east platform, presumably a loading or unloading point (h1, b6). The grid reference given by Mercer for this mill was incorrect (see 30793.1). The site was planned at 1:2500 by the National Trust in 1984 with selected elevations drawn at 1:50 (h3, b8 - 11). The wheelpit (30793.2) is well preserved with its shape reflected in the splash shield of the mills gable wall. The platform noted by Mercer, who clearly believed that this was a grist mill, is a spalling floor (30793.3). In the dressing floor (30793.4) to the west of the mill there is one well preserved trapezoidal buddle and a number of settling tanks. A second dressing floor (30793.5) further west has a retaining wall with tare and feather marks on some stones, confirming a post - 1800 date for this part of the site. A building (30793.6) exists within this lower floor (b11). The main part of the mill is rectangular 16.7m by 4.2m internally, running north - south and with at least two rectangular stone lined pits, now partially infilled with stones. The north and east walls are revetments against the natural slope - the site being an artificially levelled platform. The roof of the mill was until 1987 preserved as a pair of lines flashing on the inner north side of the wheel pit. Unfortunately this flashing was removed during restoration of the mill in 1987. A second shed was built onto the north end of the west wall of the mill; its north wall survives as a revetment (b11). (This would have formed part of the L - shaped building recorded on the 1842 Tithe map (b3)). The stamping mill complex is visible on air photographs (p1&2) and was plotted for the NMP.

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Site history:
1: 1969. MERCER, RJ / MOW
2: 1980. SHEPPARD, PA / DOE
3: 1984. HERRING, PC / NT
4: 1985. SHEPPARD, DOE
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<1> UNKNOWN, 1724, CONVEYANCE RELATING TO PART OF ROSEMERGY, DOC NO B58 (Unedited Source). SCO5515.

CAU, 1988, F15/120 - 122 (Photographic Record). SCO17163.

<2> RIC Collection, 1834, Map of Borlase Holdings in Bosigran and Rosemergy, HJ8217 (Unpublished document). SCO3619.

CAU, 1993, F34/85&6 (Photographic Record). SCO18229.

<3> Tithe Award, 1840s, Zennor, FIELD NO 3, GREAT POLMANA (Bibliographic reference). SCO4940.

<4> UNKNOWN, 1843, LEASE OF MILL, DD X1101320 (Unedited Source). SCO5961.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<6> Mercer, RJ (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5178.

<7> Sheppard, PA (for DOE), 19--, Scheduled Monument Description (Bibliographic reference). SCO5181.

<8> Cornwall Archaeological Unit, Field Drawing (GRE), GRE 2124, 54 (Cartographic materials). SCO5089.

<9> Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 1984, GRH 68/2/4/16, Plan Of Porthmoina Mill, 1:200 (Cartographic materials). SCO24606.

<9> Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 1984, GRH 68/2/4/17, Plan Of Porthmoina Mill - Explanatory Overlay (Cartographic materials). SCO24608.

<9> Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 1984, GRH 68/2/4/18, Elevations Of Porthmoina Mill, 1:50 (Cartographic materials). SCO24610.

<9> Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 1984, GRH 68/2/4/19, Elevations Of Porthmoina Mill - Explanatory Overlay (Cartographic materials). SCO24287.

<10> CAU, 1984, Field Survey Context Card (Bibliographic reference). SCO5175.

<11> Herring, PC, 1987, Bosigran, Zennor, 46-51, 81-84 & FIGS 14-16 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3569.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO738 - SM Management: Porthmoina Stamps

Related records

Associated Images

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