Wheal Brothers Mine

Date:

27 July 2010

Party:

Big Dave, Dave J, Ali, Finbar, Lionel, Rick, John G, John M, & Cheryl

Photos:

Big Dave

In Brief:

This was down as a surface trip, a follow up on last years visit to the site. Again Finbar had arranged for parking at a nearby property, and after a quick chat with the owner, we set off in two groups down the bridle path to the mine workings. Lionel. Finbar and co, set off to find an adit, whilst the others  headed for the dressing floors.

At the lower end of the site, there was a series of deep trenches that resembled wheel pits, and a flooded shaft. Just above these there was a short adit leading into the hillside that ended after approximately 30m.

Continued:

Below this area there was a shallow stream with a depression in the near side bank. This depression had been caused by water issuing from a level below, this could be a adit or tail race for a wheel pit further up the  hill.

A few hundred meters up the valley, we came across a shaft with a large wall around it. On the underside , there is a stone lined shallow tunnel leading through to the shaft and beyond to a double stone arch with a small weir by a pond. The side of this tunnel has fallen away allowing the water from the pound to cascade down into the shaft. Through this hole we could gain access to the shaft which appeared to have been blocked or intentionally capped at about 10ft down. Adjacent to the shaft lie the remains of the Bob wall of an engine house.

Done stream of the shaft was the site of some large rectangular pits, In the bottom corned to the pit nearest the shaft was found a shallow water filled tunnel with very little air space. At this point the second group appeared and Lionel revealed that he had been up this level as far as the shaft. At the lower side of this pit, a deep channel lead off from the right hand corner into the center of a large water wheel pit that would of housed a wheel of at least 50ft diameter, with the tail race disappearing down  through a hole in the floor at the far end.

At this stage, the light had started to fail fast, and it was time to return to the cars. It was agreed that this site would warrant a return trip to survey the area better during the day time. It was now time to set off for the pub.

 Write up by  Big Dave

Added 28-07-10