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Summary

Site of 19th century Matthew Shaft with associated features at Wheal Russell Mine. Two irregularly shaped earthwork mounds of spoil heaps associated with this shaft are visible on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2010.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

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

Site of a 'Shaft' shown on 19th century map as a small square feature on the eastern side of an oval area of spoil with several walls & a small rectangular building. A small square building is shown 15 meters to the south of the Shaft.

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 irregularly shaped mounds are visible.

Buck, C., 2005, Wheal Russell Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment, 22 (Report - Assessment). SDV336659.

Matthew Shaft (Site 8) shown on 19th century maps which was used for winding & pumping from the Main Lode at Wheal Russell Mine. It was powered by flat rods from the water wheel on the south side of Impham valley. The survey in 2005 did not locate the shaft but found the site of a horse whim/capstan (Site 8.1) at SX43997116 within an enclosed area bounded by a retaining wall up to 6 meters high. On the south side of the site a large linear spoil mound may have had a tramline along the upper surface to dump waste rock on either side. A small mine building (Site 8.2) resembling a powder magazine was located to the south of the shaft at SX44007114. The south gable wall remained up to 2.6 meters high x 1.5 meters wide & there was evidence of the east wall. Other details: Figs 5, 6, 8 & 11.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2020-2021, Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 1 (AI&M project) (Interpretation). SDV363945.

Earthworks of two irregularly shaped mounds, circa 24 and 40 metres long, interpreted as spoil heaps associated with this shaft are visible on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2010.
The mounds correspond with an earthwork and possible structures labelled as ‘Shaft’ on the late-19th century First Edition Ordnance Survey map.
The earthworks are not visible on other available aerial imagery owing to dense tree cover of Morwell Wood.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4040 - Wheal Russell Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment
• 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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