Great Wheal Fortune - Misplaced Pages

Disused mine in west Cornwall, England

Great Wheal Fortune
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Location in southwest Cornwall
Location	Cornwall
Grid reference	SW627290
Coordinates	50°06′50″N 5°19′11″W / 50.1140°N 5.3198°W / 50.1140; -5.3198
Interest	Geological
Area	0.55 hectares (0.006 km; 0.002 sq mi)
Notification	1991 (1991)
Natural England website

Wheal Fortune or Great Wheal Fortune is the site of a mine in the civil parishes of Breage and Sithney in west Cornwall. Part of the disused mine was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its geological interest in 1991 and is also a Geological Conservation Review site of national importance for the minerals on the site.

History

Documentary evidence from 1508 of a mine known as Cog-an-bans (Higher Work) or Goghan Bras (Great Coffin) may relate to this pit. The veins or network of veinlets of tin in this section of the mine are close to the surface and known as the Conqueror branches. The miners followed these veinlets, some of which are still visible through the overgrown vegetation although scarcely wide enough for a man to climb through.

The modern mine was first active from 1855, producing copper until 1884, tin until 1906 and zinc from 1860 until 1876. Arsenic and tungsten were also extracted for short amounts of time. First, a 45-inch pumping engine was in use, later to be replaced by a 70-inch engine on the Harvey's Engine Shaft. By 1864 the mine employed 457 people.

Five lodes were worked at Wheal Fortune. The prefix Great was added to distinguish the mine from the other sixteen or so mines of the same name. In the northern section the Carnmeal lode adjoins Wheal Vor and reached a depth of 150 fathoms. The main part of the mine, 300m to the south and considered to be of great antiquity, is a large openwork (known as a gunnis or coffin) divided in two by a narrow ridge.

In 1868 the Carnmeal lode was abandoned and five engines in the southern part of the mine were put up for sale although the mine managed to carry on until 1912 under different companies, and in 1908–09 under the name New Great Wheal Fortune. Only three people were employed at the mine in 1907. In the 1950s a lone miner is said to have worked the burrows (waste tips) and taken two sacks of wolfram daily to Camborne for sale.

References

"Great Wheal Fortune" (PDF). Natural England. 1991. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
^ Brown, Kenneth; Acton Bob (1999). Exploring Cornish Mines Vol 4. Devoran: Landfall Publications. ISBN 1-873443-36-6.
^ "Wendron Mining District - Great Wheal Fortune". Cornwall In Focus. Archived from the original on 5 May 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
"Great Wheal Fortune Mine, Cornwall". Cornwall Calling. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
"Great Wheal Fortune". PastScape. English Heritage. Retrieved 27 February 2012.

External links

v t e Ceremonial county of Cornwall
Cornwall Portal
Unitary authorities	Cornwall Council Council of the Isles of Scilly
Major settlements (cities in italics)	Bodmin Bude Callington Camborne Camelford Falmouth Fowey Hayle Helston Hugh Town Launceston Liskeard Looe Lostwithiel Marazion Newlyn Newquay Padstow Penryn Penzance Porthleven Redruth St Austell St Blazey St Columb Major St Ives St Just in Penwith Saltash Stratton Torpoint Truro Wadebridge See also: List of civil parishes in Cornwall
Rivers	Allen Camel Carnon Cober De Lank Fal Fowey Gannel Hayle Helford Inny Kensey Lerryn Looe Lynher Menalhyl Ottery Par Pont Pill Port Navas Red St Austell Seaton Tamar Tiddy Truro Valency full list...
Topics	History (Civil War) Status debate Flag Culture Economy Fishing Flora and fauna Places List of farms Population of major settlements Demography Notable people The Duchy Diocese Politics Schools Hundreds/shires Places of interest Outline of Cornwall Index of Cornwall-related articles

v t e Geological Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Summary	Summarised data for all sites (biological and geological)
Cornwall	Aire Point to Carrick Du Baulk Head to Mullion Bedruthan Steps and Park Head Belowda Beacon Boscastle to Widemouth Boscawen Bude Coast Caerthillian to Kennack Cameron Quarry Carn Grey Rock and Quarry Clicker Tor Quarry Cligga Head Coverack Cove and Dolor Point Coverack to Porthoustock Crocadon Quarry Crow's Nest Cuckoo Rock to Turbot Point Cudden Point to Prussia Cove De Lank Quarries Duckpool to Furzey Cove East Lizard Heathlands Folly Rocks Gerrans Bay to Camels Cove Godrevy Head to St Agnes Great Wheal Fortune Greystone Quarry Gwithian to Mexico Towans Harbour Cove Hawkstor Pit Hingston Down Quarry & Consols Kennack to Coverack Kingsand to Sandway Point Lidcott Mine Loe Pool Lower Fal & Helford Intertidal Luxulyan Quarry Meneage Coastal Section Mulberry Downs Quarry Mullion Cliff to Predannack Cliff Penberthy Croft Mine Penlee Point Penlee Quarry Pentire Peninsula Polyne Quarry Polyphant Porthcew Porthleven Cliffs Porthleven Cliffs East Rame Head & Whitsand Bay Roche Rock Rock Dunes Rosemullion Rosenun Lane South Terras Mine St Agnes Beacon Pits St Erth Sand Pits St Mewan Beacon St Michael's Mount Stepper Point Stourscombe Quarry Swanpool Tater-du Tintagel Cliffs Trebetherick Point Tregargus Quarries Trelavour Downs Tremearne Par Trevaunance Cove Trevone Bay Trevose Head and Constantine Bay Viverdon Quarry West Lizard Wheal Alfred Wheal Gorland Wheal Martyn Wheal Penrose Yeolmbridge Quarry
Isles of Scilly	Castle Down (Tresco) Chapel Down (St. Martin's) Peninnis Head (St. Mary's) Porth Seal (St. Martin's) Porthloo Shipman Head & Shipman Down (Bryher) St Martin's Sedimentary Shore Teän Watermill Cove White Island
Neighbouring areas: Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Devon Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset

Categories:

History

See also

References

External links