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Summary

A former mine of post-medieval date is visible on aerial photographs as earthwork spoil mounds and associated buildings. Adits in Newton Wood date to 1818-19, dug by the Tavistock Canal Company during the construction of the Collateral Cut. Worked in the 1830s as Wheal Crease and re-worked three times in the later 19th century as Wheal Elizabeth and East Wheal Josiah.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MINE (Constructed, XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 2001-2002, Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Transcriptions and Database Records, RAF/CPE/UK/2149/3144-5 (Interpretation). SDV346287.

The transcriptions of a mound, buildings and possible trackway recorded from aerial photograph RAF/CPE/UK/2149/3144-5 correspond to a database record of a mine of post-medieval date.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2016, Backlog Recording of the Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Survey (Personal Comment). SDV359374.

The aerial photograph reference given in the transcription attributes is incomplete; the date of the photograph is not included.

Waterhouse, R., 2017, The Tavistock Canal. Its History and Archaeology, 174-6, fig 6.26 (Monograph). SDV361789.

Wheal Crease
This largely valueless sett explored three east-west lodes on the east bank of the River Lumburn, downstream of Middle Lumburn Bridge, cut and trialled by the Tavistock Canal Company during construction of the Collateral Cut to the Mill Hill slate quarries in 1818-19. Two trial adits in the west bank in Newton Wood were presumably driven by the Company at that date. No evidence of any other workings at this time.
Its first period of serious re-working may have taken place in the 1830s, under the Tavistock Consolidated Mines Adventurers. It was then known as Wheal Crease, after the nearby farm.
The mine was re-worked on three further occasions; 1845-47 as Wheal Elizabeth, from 1848 as East Wheal Josiah and from the early 1860s by the East Devon Great Consols Company. Copper and lead are said to have been produced, but there are no recorded returns.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6911 - Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme

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