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Summary

Wheel pit at the northern end of George and Charlotte Mine. Suggested that the water wheel would have been 40-45 feet diameter.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WHEEL PIT (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Buck, C., 2010, George & Charlotte Mine, Morwell, Devon: Archaeological Assessment, 27 (Report - Assessment). SDV345606.

The construction of this wheel pit may date to the Devon & Cornwall United Mine tenure from 1851, which focussed on opening up new deeper shafts to access the lodes eastwards towards William and Mary Mine in the Tavy Valley. The wheel would have been of either 40 or 45 feet diameter, and functioned to power flat rods to pump or wind Ley's Shaft. It may be the case that these rods first worked Emily's Shaft, before the lode extended further eastwards to Let's Shaft. The wheel pit is visible on its west and south sides only, the remainder of the external walls (and interior) are obscured by earth, stone and water build-up. The south-west corner masonry is 1.9 metres high above ground level, and a width of 2 metres is visible for a length of about 11 metres. There is a flat area of ground 3 metres wide, south of the wheel pit, that would have sited masonry loadings and the crank pit where the main power shaft was connected to the flat rod, and further to the west, a vertical rock face approximately 7 metres high and 5 metres wide, of uncertain function. Other details: Figures 7-9, 18: site 2.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 2017, South Cornwall Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment, 1010 (Interpretation). SDV360825.

Colin Buck recorded the remnants of a wheelpit (Buck 2010, Site 2) as part of George and Charlotte Mine. The feature is recorded on the first edition 1:2500 Ordnance Survey map.

Waterhouse, R., 2017, The Tavistock Canal. Its History and Archaeology, 225-27, Figs 7.2-7.3, 7.5, 7.12 (Monograph). SDV361789.

Wheel No. 1 on the George and Charlotte Leat; 19th century water engine built to pump Ley's Shaft 550 metres to the east via flat-rods. 45 foot by 2 foot 6 inch overshot wheel. Author includes plans of the wheel pit and photograph of the remains in wood.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4945 - Archaeological Assessment of George & Charlotte Mine, Morwell, Devon
• EDV4946 - Field Survey of George & Charlotte Mine, Morwell, Devon

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