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Summary

Kelly's, Smith's and Cock's shafts marked on 1880s-1890s 25 inch Ordnance Survey map, three of the seven shafts recorded at Wheal Crebor copper mine.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Structures, earthworks and below-ground mining features associated with Wheal Crebor Mine including a former canal and railway, east of Buctor Farm

Other References/Statuses

• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

1867, Bedford Estates Map of Wheal Crebor Mine (Cartographic). SDV351517.

'Shaft (fenced)', 'Shaft', and 'Cock's Shaft' marked from west to east, to the west of the buildings at Wheal Crebor.

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

Kelly's, Smith's and Cock's Shafts marked to south-east of Bucktor. Part of the Wheal Crebor copper mine. Map object based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Map object based on this source.

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

Seven shafts are recorded at Wheal Crebor which exploited a series of east-west lodes extending for over three kilometres between the Devon side of the River Tamar and Whitchurch.

Buck, C., 2015, Buctor Farm, Tavistock (Report - Assessment). SDV359746.

This study was commissioned by the landowner on behalf of Natural England as part of a Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Agreement Scheme and produced by Cornwall Archaeological Unit, Cornwall Council.

Kellys Shaft
It is suggested that this shaft is likely to date from the early days of the mine (1804, Fig 5). Dines and Phemister (1956, 672) states, ‘Crebor Main Lode has been worked from four shafts west of the River Lumburn and one on the east. On the west are Kelly’s … vertical to the 12 fm. And on the underlie to the 120 fm. Level’. The shaft can be viewed on plan in Figure 11, and in section on Figure 12. Figure 9 (1867 Bedford Estates Map), describes the shaft as ‘Fenced’. Given its pumping power source being the main flat rod (originally from the primary position of the water wheel at Site 42, to its secondary position at Site 29). The detailed site background is given in Section 4.2.6. The shaft is likely to have been disused for mineral extraction by the early 1820s.

The angle bob masonry mountings would have provided the structural means of siting an angle bob next to the shaft to transfer the horizontal movement of the flat rod to a vertical movement – to pump out the lower workings of the mine (to adit level) located at the east side of the shaft (Site 21.1). It is quite likely that a horse-whim was used at this site (ie, to help sink the shaft, raise pit-work, raise some ore and pump rod maintenance, etc), perhaps sited on the shaft’s south side, but there is no definite visual evidence of this.

Survey
The shaft (see Fig 27) is choked at surface (3.5m² and 2.5m below ground level), within a wide encircling dry stone hedge (0.7m high and wide). The flat rod slot route to the angle bob masonry is also visible east of the masonry. This measures 3m across its base and is 2m below ground level. The angle bob masonry sides are 2.2m high and 1.2m long, sited between the flat rod slot earthwork and the shaft. The balance bob mounting side walls (Site 21.1) are extant (0.85m internal width, 4m long and 0.6m high), and visible on the east side of the shaft, although the balance bob box to the rear (east end) has gone, presumably demolished when the protective hedge was built around the shaft.

Significance
Medium
This shaft has a contextual relationship with the adjacent mine. It therefore has a significance rating of Medium.

Recommendation
The mine and shaft site may well be viewed by members of the public who visit the site (especially those interested in industrial archaeology), and as part of pre-arranged guided tours. The shaft has evidence of movement within the fill, and the presence of cows perhaps does not help this scenario. It is recommended that the shaft site be fenced to restrict heavy animal access.

Smiths Shaft
It is suggested that this shaft is likely to date from the early days of the mine (1804, Fig 5). Dines (1956, 672) states, ‘Crebor Main Lode has been worked from four shafts west of the River Lumburn and one on the east. On the west are Smiths … 100 yards E. by N. of Kelly’s on the underlie to the 88 fm. Level’. The shaft can be viewed on plan in Figure 11, and in section in Figure 12. Given its pumping power source being the main flat rod (originally from the primary position of the water wheel at Site 42, to its secondary position at Site 29). The shaft is likely to have been disused for mineral extraction by the early 1820s. It is quite likely that a horse-whim was used at this site (see Fig 5), perhaps sited on the shaft’s west side, but there is no definite visual evidence of this.

Survey
The shaft (see Fig 28) is choked at surface, within a low encircling dry stone wall (0.5m high and 0.7m wide). The ground level within the shaft area is 2m below encircling ground level outside the wall. Unlike Kelly’s Shaft (Site 21), there is no evidence of the angle bob masonry mountings.

Significance
Medium
This shaft has a contextual relationship with the adjacent mine. It therefore has a significance rating of Medium.

Recommendation
The mine and shaft site may well be viewed by members of the public who visit the site (especially those interested in industrial archaeology), and as part of pre-arranged guided tours. The shaft has evidence of movement within the fill, and the presence of cows perhaps does not help this scenario. It is recommended that the shaft site be fenced to restrict heavy animal access.

Cock's Shaft
This shaft is likely to have been the first one dating from the early days of the mine (1804). Dines (1956, 672) states, ‘Cock’s vertical to the 12 fm. and on the underlie to the 120 fm. Level’. The shaft can be viewed on plan in Figure 11, and in section in Figure 12. Figure 9 (1867 Bedford Estates Map), labels the shaft. Its pumping power source being the main flat rod (originally from the primary position of the water wheel at Site 42, to its secondary position at Site 29). This shaft is an important shaft for the mine working Main Lode, but is likely to have been disused for mineral extraction by the early 1820s.
There is no surface evidence of any angle bob masonry mountings (as at Kelly’s Shaft), which would have provided the means of transferring the horizontal movement of the flat rod to a vertical movement. However, it is quite likely that a capstan (Site 24.1) was used at this site (ie, to help sink the shaft, raise pitwork, raise ore and pump rod maintenance, etc), sited on the shaft’s north east side. Ore would have been raised up the shaft and then placed onto the tramway (Site 25), to go to the dressing floors for processing (over the canal, Crebor Wharf and across the road). This is shown on Figure 9 (1867 map), and in more detail on the OS 1883 map (Fig 13).

Survey
The shaft is choked at surface (6m² and slumped 1.8m below ground level), and has no shaft protection. The north side of the collar wall is visible, but the remainder less so. The flat rod slot route over this shaft and then towards Smith’s Shaft (Site 22) and Kelly’s Shaft (Site 21) is visible 10.0m west of the shaft – the slot being 1.5m wide, and 0.5m deep below ground level to leaf mould.

Significance
Kelly’s Shaft is visible 10m west of the shaft – the slot being 1.5m wide, and 0.5m deep below-ground level to leaf mould.

This shaft has an important contextual relationship with the adjacent mine. It therefore has a significance rating of Medium.

Waterhouse, R., 2017, The Tavistock Canal. Its History and Archaeology, 44 (Monograph). SDV361789.

Discovery of lodes while driving Morwelldown Tunnel for Tavistock Canal led to the discovery of the main lode at Wheal Crebor, which was discovered at the northern end of the tunnel shortly after the start of construction and it was immediately investigated, driving what became known as Tunnel Level (and Cock's shaft a short distance to the north-east).

Waterhouse, R., Unknown, Wheal Crebor, Inclined Shaft and Canal Cutting Survey Plans (Plan - measured). SDV355823.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7058 - Archaeological Management Plan, Buctor Farm, Tavistock (Ref: 2015R055)

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