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Summary

At poldice mine, the wheel pit and the remains of some walls can be seen south of the river walkham, near grenofen bridge. Further up the hillside, above the tip of rubble, an adit leads in to a shaft. Worked in the 1880's, small yields of lead, copper and tin were obtained.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47SE/54

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• COPPER MINE (XIX - 1880 AD (Between) to 1889 AD (Between))

Full description

HARRIS, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV22166.

At poldice mine, the wheel pit and the remains of some walls can be seen south of the river walkham, near grenofen bridge. Further up the hillside, above the tip of rubble, an adit leads in to a shaft. Worked in the 1880's, small yields of lead, copper and tin were obtained. A tin mine, probably closing in the late 1870's, it lies on the east bank of the walkham valley close beside the site of the walkham viaduct, stone from which, after its demolition in 1965 was used for filling the deep mines shaft (harris).

1971, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV264885.

'walkham united mine (copper, disused)' marked on os 6" (1905/1938) and (1971) maps (os).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV264886.

Harris, h. /industrial archaeology of dartmoor/(1968)191,226.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV264887.

Des=os 6"(1905/1938)105se.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV264888.

Des=os 6"(1971).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV264889.

Richardson, p. H. G. /british mining/44(1992)139/mines of dartmoor and the tamar valley after 1913.

Rendell, P., 1996, Exploring the Lower Walkham Valley (Monograph). SDV361766.

Newman, P., 2011, Mining in the Tavy Valley, West Devon. An Assessment of Archaeological Potential, 34-35 (Report - Assessment). SDV347105.

Devon Poldice (copper, tin, lead). This site was worked much earlier than others in the vicinity and two deep, rock-cut openworks are known to traverse the slopes to the west of the mine, though they are as yet undated. These are depicted as ‘old workings’ on plan of Devon Poldice of c.1860-80 date. East Poldice Mine, referred to by Lysons (1822) as abandoned after 1815 may be an early 19th century manifestation of this mine. It was claimed that a leat was cut to Poldice Mine in 1825. Further attempts to re-open the site are recorded in 1860. The mine plan of that period shows the leat, dressing floor, ancient workings and adits. During the 1860s (or at least sometime after 1856) Devon Poldice was incorporated into a new sett called Walkham and Poldice, which included more land near Grenofen Bridge. Poldice may also have been working in conjunction with Virtuous Lady (Site No. 16) for a period in the 1870s. The date of closure is not known but it was reported in 1886 that the mine had not been working for several years. The precise relationship with Walkham United, as annotated on large scale OS maps has yet to be clarified, but this is likely to be a later manifestation of Walkham and Poldice. The 1884-5 Ordnance Survey map shows, shafts, leat, structures including the stamping mill, four round buddles and a spoil heap. Other details: Site No. 15.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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