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Summary

Railway Shaft & spoil heap at Wheal Emma mine which was part of Devon Great Consols

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47SW/504/13/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SHAFT (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1884, 105SW (Cartographic). SDV218129.

A probable shaft is marked here on the OS 6" (1884) map.

Ordnance Survey, 1907, 105 SW (Cartographic). SDV276342.

'Railway Shaft' is marked on OS 6" (1907) and as 'Disused' on OS 6" (1954) maps.

Ordnance Survey, 1954, SX47SW (Cartographic). SDV336689.

Goodridge, J. C., 1964, Devon Great Consols, a Study of Victorian Mining Enterprise, 254-5 (Article in Serial). SDV240773.

Pye, A. R. + Dixon, T., 1989, The Arsenic Works at Devon Great Consols Mine, Tavistock, 79-111, Figs 1-2 (Article in Serial). SDV219136.

Devon Great Consols. Railway Shaft was on Wheal Emma and deepened in search of tin. The pioneer points were the 137 fathom level being driven eastwards from Railway Shaft into the new ground granted by the new lease of 1857, and also in the opposite direction, and, from the same shaft, the 160 and 175 fathoms. In 1882 stones of tin found. In 1883 Railway Shaft was deepened by hand, slow rate of progress due to the hard nature of the rock and by the depth of the operation. By november 1886 the ground had been opened up to 235 fathoms and cross cuts were being driven into the lode. First sale of tin ore, 2 tons 2cwt realised £115.8s.9d. The shaft was deepened a further 20 fathoms. The lode was twice as wide at the 240 as at the 220 fathom level. The lode when located under the spot where tin stones had been found at 220 fathoms was found to be 2m. After Railway Shaft had been sunk to the 260 fathom level still without signs of tin, it was decided to abandon the exploratory works. Survey by Exeter Museum Archaeological Field Unit in 1989 revealed well-preserved tramway from Railway Shaft to Thomas' Shaft.

Richardson, P. H. G., 1992, The Mines of Dartmoor and the Tamar Valley after 1913, 94-104, Fig 17 (Article in Serial). SDV323598.

Buck, C., 2002, Devon Great Consols: Archaeological Assessment, 181-3, Figs 9,22,38 (Report - Assessment). SDV241758.

Railway Shaft at Wheal Emma mine was not shown on the 1857 map but was present on subsequent 19C maps. The survey in 2002 found the ill-defined shaft within an area of loose rubble & waste dumps but was marked by a granite post. The capstan was located to the north of the shaft as shown on OS (1884) map & sited on a circular spoil mound of 4m diameter x up to 1m high. The large waste dump from Railway Shaft located to the west at SX43627355 was accessed by a tramline as shown on the OS (1884) map. To the southwest of Railway Shaft at SX43667353 the masonry abutment for the timber tramway bridge was identified with the waste heap tramway running northwest from SX43667353 to SX43617356. A mine track links Wheal Emma with Wheal Josiah to the west (see PRN 3874) with a stone plinth at SX43657355 of unknown function. Other details: Site 273,274,275,276,276/1.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV218129	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1884. 105SW. 6".
SDV219136	Article in Serial: Pye, A. R. + Dixon, T.. 1989. The Arsenic Works at Devon Great Consols Mine, Tavistock. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 47. Paperback Volume. 79-111, Figs 1-2.
SDV240773	Article in Serial: Goodridge, J. C.. 1964. Devon Great Consols, a Study of Victorian Mining Enterprise. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 96. 254-5.
SDV241758	Report - Assessment: Buck, C.. 2002. Devon Great Consols: Archaeological Assessment. Cornwall Archaeological Unit Report. 2002R069. Digital + A4. 181-3, Figs 9,22,38.
	Linked documents:1
SDV276342	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1907. 105 SW. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch Map. Map (Paper).
SDV323598	Article in Serial: Richardson, P. H. G.. 1992. The Mines of Dartmoor and the Tamar Valley after 1913. British Mining. 44. A5 Paperback. 94-104, Fig 17.
SDV336689	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1954. SX47SW. Ordnance Survey 6 inch map. Map (Paper).

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV1790 - Devon Great Consols: Archaeological Assessment

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