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Summary

Known as Wheal Tamar / Wheal Luscombe and also East Wheal Luscombe (at the eastern end of the sett). Copper Mine, shown as 'disused' on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map of the late 19th century. Earthworks of pits and banks are visible on aerial photographs taken in 1947 and 1948 and on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2010 and 2013 . The earthworks were recorded during the Tamar Valley NMP and Tamar Lidar AIM projects.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47SW/516

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• COPPER MINE (XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV1142.

Worksheet contains more details and copy of 1906 map showing position and names of individual shafts (worksheet).

BUCK, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV219466.

Vis=19/3/1998 (buck) large deep feature (labelled by os as a "quarry") likely to be a 'gunnis' or openwork, probably of late medieval date. May have been re-used as a quarry in late 19c.2 open shafts, both fenced. Engine shaft has evidence of siting of possibly devon's first engine house, and also a horse-whim in excellent condition (buck).

Jenkin, A. K. H., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240158.

According to tradition the first mine in devon to possess a steam engine. Cites an earlier authority giving production figures between 1821 and 1834 (jenkin).

OS 1953, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240673.

6" 1884 map shows luscombe mine disused, as well as position of shafts and quarry remains.(os 1884).25" map, 1906, has all above details and suggestion of workings overgrown just to the south.(os 1906). Modern 25" map shows all above points and marks an old shaft to the south of the plantation.(os 1953).

1907, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240674.

"luscombe mine (copper, disused)" marked on os 6" (1907) map (os).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240677.

Ramsden, j. V. /tda/84(1952)97 fig.1/notes on the mines of devonshire.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240678.

H. M. Stationery office/abandoned mines/(1929).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240679.

Collins, j. H. /observations on west of england mining region/(1912).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240680.

Booker, f. /the industrial archaeology of the tamar valley/(1971)139.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240681.

Dines, h. G. /the metalliferous mining region of sw england vol 2/(1956)670- 671.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240682.

Jenkin, a. K. H. /mines of devon vol 1/(1974)32.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240683.

Des=worksheet/weddell, p.(17/2/1984)in parish file.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240684.

Des=os 6" map/(1884)copy in parish file.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240685.

Des=os 25" map/(1906).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240686.

Des=os 25" map/(1953).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240687.

Des=os 6"(1907)105sw.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240688.

Des=buck, c. /preliminary assessment of sites of archaeological importance in the tamar valley/(1998)44/copy in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240689.

Des=buck, c. /preliminary assessmnet of industrial sites of archaeological importance in the tamar valley/(dec 1998)49/in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV240690.

Buck, c.(cornwall archaeological unit)/bedford united mine: archaeological assessment/(2003)17 + fig 4, 24/report no 2003ro43 site 166 in smr.

BOOKER, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV256537.

Also called east luscombe, early in the 19th century associated with n impham (sx47sw/521) said to have been abandoned in 1827 (booker).

Dines, H. G., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV265453.

Also called south luscombe. Two main centres of working, one in luscombe down plantation and another shaft just to the east of the plantation. Technical geological details given. Adit level connected to ding dong mine (sx47sw/517) in 1816. Ceased in 1828 having produced 3,327 tons of copper (dines).

Ramsden, J. V., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV38544.

L16 luscombe. Sx443717. Copper (ramsden).

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

The mine is depicted on this map. Map object partly based on this source.

Environment Agency, 2000-2019, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Environment Agency LAST RETURN 17-JAN-2010 (Cartographic). SDV363954.

Earthworks of sub-circular, sub-oval and irregularly shaped pits and banks are visible.

Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 2001-2002, Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Transcriptions and Database Records, RAF/CPE/UK/2149/4141&2 1947 & RAF/CPE/2501/4108 1948 (Interpretation). SDV346287.

Earthworks of spoil heaps and a cut feature of a post-medieval copper mine are visible on aerial photographs of 1947 and 1948. Map object partly based on this source.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Tellus LAST RETURN 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV363955.

Earthworks of pits and banks are visible.

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

Earthworks recorded here within Luscombe Plantation have been appended to this monument record, although it is unclear whether or not all transcribed features are associated with this mine. Given the absence of clear boundaries of this mine on historic maps, the extent of the monument polygon has been difficult to define and is somewhat arbitrary.

Waterhouse, R., 2017, The Tavistock Canal. Its History and Archaeology, 197-206, Figs 6.30, 6.55-65 (Monograph). SDV361789.

Wheal Tamar/Wheal Luscombe
One of the mines worked by the Tavistock Canal Company in the early 19th century, these setts lie in an area of poorly studied / documented mines; only three partial surveys of mines exist and two of these give only partial records of workings on longer lodes, of which a total of eight are known. Possible reconstructions of the underground and surface workings on East Wheal Luscombe have been prepared by the author from original sketch plans probably dating to post 1821 (see Figs 6.55 6.56 and 6.57). These maps and plans provide the only known record of early 19th century workings on Morwell Hatch Lode, Iron Lode, Stamps Lode and Wheal Hingston, all of which have surviving features on the ground but most of which are otherwise unnamed in documentary sources.
The largest setts in the group were Wheal Tamar and Wheal Luscombe which are adjoining. Two physically separate areas of underground workings were worked at different times; Wheal Tamar (to the west) was the more significant. This ran under the Tamar into Cornwall and was worked as East Gunnislake Mine for at least 180 metres, before passing into the sett of Gunnislake Old Mine.
18th to early 19th century workings on the Devon bank include a line of disused shafts leading up the hillside to the east and a hand-picked shallow adit. Many of the surface workings still visible date to the period after 1842, when the old Wheal Tamar Leat was extended northwards from the Impham Valley to drive two water engines on the Marquis and Tavistock lodes; known afterwards as the Bedford United Leat (see Waterhouse for further detail of water engines).
East Wheal Luscombe
Comprises the eastern end of the Wheal Tamar sett, on the western edge of Luscombe Down. Considered potentially rich in copper in the early 19th century, this sett was subject of a fierce disagreement between, then period of joint working between the Tavistock Canal Company and rival Cornish adventurers between 1810 and 1821. Waterhouse details complex correspondence between the two parties and the Bedford Estate, who had originally granted the sett to the Cornish Messers Fox, Williams & Co. in 1798. The area of the sett was later overlapped by the area granted to the Canal Company in 1810 and this caused furious disagreements over rights, despite the relatively minor quantities of ore extracted (see Waterhouse for detail on the disagreement).
From 1815 the disagreements were finally settled and the two parties agreed to work the sett jointly and it became known as the East Wheal Luscombe sett. This arrangement continued until 1821 when the Canal Company (apparently unwilling to continue paying their monthly contribution towards stream pumping costs) instead opted to cut a leat from the Canal. Eventually the Mr Williams gave up rights to the sett and the leat was constructed in 1821-22 and an unnamed shaft was sunk between 1822-26, which eventually proved unsuccessful as the promising copper lode was found to have been destroyed. The mine was abandoned shortly afterwards.
See related records for surface remains at East Wheal Luscombe.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2020-2021, Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology (AI&M project) (Interpretation). SDV363945.

Earthworks of sub-circular, sub-oval and irregularly shaped pits and banks, interpreted as extractive pits, shafts and spoil heaps of 18th or 19th century mine workings associated with Luscombe Mine, are visible on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2010 and 2013. The earthworks are characterised by two broadly parallel rows of pits and banks, between 6m to 30m in length, which are broadly east to west aligned and extend to a length of circa 620m. A larger, irregularly shaped pit, circa 75m in length, is visible at SX44277190.
Features labelled as ‘Shaft’, ‘Shafts’, ‘Quarry’ and ‘Luscombe Mine (Copper, disused)’ are depicted in this location on the late 19th century First Edition Ordnance Survey map.
Several of the transcribed earthworks from this survey correspond with child or peer records of Luscombe Mine. These include 4 shafts (MDV70429, MDV70428, MDV70421 & MDV114265), a quarry (MDV70431), a saw pit (MDV123497), an adit (MDV70367) and a platform (MDV70369). These records have not been individually amended but are included within the monument polygon for this record.
Earthworks of pits and banks associated with this mine were also transcribed from aerial photographs taken in 1947 and 1948 during the Tamar Valley NMP project which largely complement the transcriptions derived from this survey.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6911 - Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme
• EDV8345 - Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 1 (AI&M) (Ref: ACD2380)

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