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Summary

A wheel house built to contain a 58-60ft waterwheel at Wheal Emma Mine (SX 76 NW 52).

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX76NW53
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1431007

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WHEEL HOUSE (Built, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Newman, P., 2005, Brookwood and Wheal Emma Copper Mines, Buckfastleigh, Devon: An Archaeological Survey (Report - Survey). SDV359199.

(30/04/2005) A large wheel house which sits adjacent to the south bank of the River Mardle, built against a moderate slope, just below the modern drive to Brook Manor. The waterwheel was associated with Wheal Emma Copper Mine which operated between 1845 and 1885, latterly under the name of South Devon United Mines from 1878-85. The walls remain intact constructed from killas. The long sides of the wheel house on the level top surface are not straight but slightly kinked providing greater width in the centre to accommodate a dished wheel. However, at floor level the sides are parallel and the walls are slightly battered. The interior dimensions at floor level are 18.3m by 2.2m and the walls are approximately 7.8m high on the northern end. The thickness of the walls is up to 1.35m. The wheelhouse could have contained a waterwheel of 58-60ft. At the northern end at floor level is an arched opening of 1.7m wide by 1m high which served as a tail race exit. On the eastern interior wall north end and western south end are large diameter arcs scored into the masonry to a depth of up to 4cm indicating that the wheel was not rotating true on its axle. The purpose of this wheel was to power pumps in Pixton's Shaft 165m uphill to the south (SX 76 NE 54). Since abandonment the wheelhouse has been used as a receptacle for rubbish.
Surveyed at 1:1000 scale and described in detail.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6840 - Survey of Brookwood and Wheal Emma Copper Mines (Ref: AI/01/2005)

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