Wheal Peevor
Encyclopedia
Wheal Peevor was a metalliferous mine located on North Downs about 1.5 miles north-east of Redruth
, Cornwall
, England. The first mining sett
was granted here in around 1701 on land owned by the St Aubyn family
. It was originally mined at shallow depths for copper, but when the price for that metal slumped after 1788, the mine was able to change to mining tin ore
, which was found deeper down. In the late 18th century Wheal Peevor had the advantage of being drained by the Great County Adit
which was around 100 metres deep here.
The mine closed in 1889, almost 20 years after the price of tin was depressed due to the discovery of large, easily-mined deposits in the Far East. Some exploratory work was undertaken on the site on several occasions in the 20th century, but no further ore was mined.
Since 2003 more than £800,000 has been spent on preserving the buildings on this derelict site, and it was opened to the public in January 2008. The site is unusual because it contains the remains of three engine houses: the largest engine, with a 72 inch cylinder, was used for pumping water out of the mine; the second, used for winch
ing material in and out of its shaft was at the eastern side of the sett; and the third with a 32 inch engine operated 48 heads of Californian stamps for crushing the ore.
Redruth
Redruth is a town and civil parish traditionally in the Penwith Hundred in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has a population of 12,352. Redruth lies approximately at the junction of the A393 and A3047 roads, on the route of the old London to Land's End trunk road , and is approximately west of...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, England. The first mining sett
Mining sett
Mining setts were a legal arrangement used historically in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in South West England to manage the exploitation of land for the extraction of tin....
was granted here in around 1701 on land owned by the St Aubyn family
St Aubyn Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for members of the St Aubyn family, one in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom....
. It was originally mined at shallow depths for copper, but when the price for that metal slumped after 1788, the mine was able to change to mining tin ore
Cassiterite
Cassiterite is a tin oxide mineral, SnO2. It is generally opaque, but it is translucent in thin crystals. Its luster and multiple crystal faces produce a desirable gem...
, which was found deeper down. In the late 18th century Wheal Peevor had the advantage of being drained by the Great County Adit
Great County Adit
The Great County Adit, sometimes called the County Adit, or the Great Adit was a system of interconnected adits that helped drain water from the tin and copper mines in the Gwennap area of Cornwall, in the United Kingdom...
which was around 100 metres deep here.
The mine closed in 1889, almost 20 years after the price of tin was depressed due to the discovery of large, easily-mined deposits in the Far East. Some exploratory work was undertaken on the site on several occasions in the 20th century, but no further ore was mined.
Since 2003 more than £800,000 has been spent on preserving the buildings on this derelict site, and it was opened to the public in January 2008. The site is unusual because it contains the remains of three engine houses: the largest engine, with a 72 inch cylinder, was used for pumping water out of the mine; the second, used for winch
Winch
A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in or let out or otherwise adjust the "tension" of a rope or wire rope . In its simplest form it consists of a spool and attached hand crank. In larger forms, winches stand at the heart of machines as diverse as tow trucks, steam shovels and...
ing material in and out of its shaft was at the eastern side of the sett; and the third with a 32 inch engine operated 48 heads of Californian stamps for crushing the ore.