I've decided to start a new thread for obvious reasons.
About twenty years ago I paid a visit to the Wheal Fortune section of Consols.
While there I noticed some odd shaped clinker or slag. I cracked one of these open and found it contained quite a lot of copper.
Further investigation revealed a pile of burnt limestone, about 4/5cwt. I also found a piece of coal which I sent to Wales for analysis.
The results came back stating, that it was of very poor quality and came from a seam near Swansea. Quite unsuitable for domestic use or steam raising but ideal for smelting copper.
I was very pleased with this as I had not mentioned anything about copper when I sent it away.
A further visit was paid with Adam Sharpe of C.A.U. and he confirmed there was evidence of copper smelting on this site, but in a very minor or experimental fashion.
Nevertheless it was evidence that copper smelting had been attempted on a major mine.
On my next visit I came across a group of bikers tearing down the walls of the coal yard which had been standing for nearly two hundred years near Baily's shaft.
I asked them to stop, only to be told by one of them that these things were always falling down and that he lived in a converted engine house and knew all about them!
They did however stop what they were doing and disappeared.
After looking around more, I found that the pile of limestone had gone, buried under one of their jumps.
Some weeks later I had a telephone call from one of the residents of Twelveheads telling me that the locals were upset at the damage being done and that a meeting had been arranged with a local councilor and the police, and that I was invited to attend.
The police were very sympathetic and promised to keep an eye on the place. The councilor however yawned about fifty times
and showed a total lack of interest (perhaps due to the fact the elections had taken place about three weeks before)
Damage to this site is still taking place, and I believe it is a major problem at South Caradon, perhaps Scoggan could give an update on that site
This is a major problem to which I have no solution but suggestions would be welcome

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I'll see what I can do. I'm fairly certain it stated that it was from a submarine vien

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This appeared to drop off the home page so this is just to bump it back on there.

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Thanks Simon I wondered what happened :ohmygod:

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I'll see what I can do. I'm fairly certain it stated that it was from a submarine vien

Bloody Hell,i`ve worked in some wet holes,even had Dolphins bringing in supplies,but i draw the line with Submarines,lol

Seriously,i presume it mean`s something regarding the Marine Bands ie. Upper and Lower Cwmgorse Marine Band`s for instance.

I agree with your points but sadly my boss has a saying which is often true:

Nobody in authority cares.

Given the council appear to have woefully desecrated many sites themselves, Hallenbeagle springs to mind I would say you stand little chance.

South Caradon has suffered a fair bit in recent months which is a shame after so much work has been done repointing the remaining walls, some jeeps have been driving up the bank to the dressing floors and destroyed part of it ,spoil heaps are eroding very fast and seem to gain new cycle routes on a regular basis
There was a spate of fly tipping a few months back old sofas ,smashed glass etc very depressing this got many people very p*^!ed off and has had a positive result as there are many people now keeping an eye on the place

Speaking from the Peak District, I have to say that this need not be the case. However, it requires many years of work to gain the respect of those who are in a position to work alongside the mining history lobby to effect a change in public perception

Some thirty years ago the mantra in Derbyshire was "Re-process the mine tips for minerals - If there was no commercial minerals flatten the tips for agricultural improvement - If there is a mine site in the way, level it. We need flat bright green prairies for silage".

We have worked over the years with the National Park, English Heritage and DEFRA to point out that the environments and structures on mine sites are
unique places, both from a historical and an environmental perspective.

We, at present have an English Heritage and PDNPA project to schedule further sites on the surface, and also a pilot project to schedule monuments underground. This has partly arisen as our PDNPA senior archaeologist, the former English Heritage Inspector, and the National Trust area manager, go underground with us. The next issue of 'Mining History', which I help edit, is part funded by the PDNPA and EH, and consists of a full audit of all the mine sites in the Peak District which have local and national interest for geological, archaeological and environmental reasons. This helps inform the outside world - if you are unable to demonstrate what is of importance to you, you will never get anyone else to believe you.

I think that the lesson to be learnt from our experiences is that
1 - You have to take a longer term view.
2 - You need to present yourselves in a coherent and unified manner. You need to all sing from the same hymn sheet.
3 - You need to work on those who show any interest in your aims.
4 - You need to present your aims beyond your own circle.
5 - You need to demonstrate that you are able to manage your projects.

It's a long haul - but if you want to make your mark on your landscapes it's a route you need to take.

CATMHS in the Lake District has an excellent relationship with the National Park and Natural England (or whatever they are called this week), which does pay dividends both in terms of preservation, and also ensuring access for society members to places otherwise out of bounds.

I don't know how it came about, I suspect through hard work by the committee.

Chris.

The old Power House at Falmouth Consolidated (Falcons) aka Wheal Jane (old Wheal Jane that is) is now also a tear about site for 4x4's and motor bikes. Now I don't really have too much problem with the 4x4's - as such - but the bikers (motor bikers) are now riding in through the powerhouse windows and out of the gable end. Consequently the damage to what archaeology still exists, is being damaged beyond repair. The cill of one window is being worn down by the constant traffic. Why they can't just stick to riding about on the tailings dumps is beyond me. The mineral rights belong to Lord Falmouth but I don't know if he sold the land.

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What we're going to wind up with if we're not too careful is ENGINE HOUSE ON SEA. Wheal Coates, Carn Galver, Botallack,
Wheal Prosper etc, and that will be it.

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The CPR works around crofty, Tincroft and Dolcoath suggest an attitude of "it was turned over in the 1980s/90s so we'll carry on in the same vein ."

Any artefacts from mining, if large enough are left on the side of the works, otherwise they are just mixed in with the other bits of building waste and hauled away to landfill.

Any hint of where the tramlines used to run have been flattened and mangled rails discarded.

I expect it will all be re-landscaped to make it look like a mining related landscape with memorial stone tables etc.

So if our own council can damage mine sites, what message are they sending out to others?

...and the Basset stamps engine houses are also being washed away slowly stone by stone down the hill...

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Roy, I gather the OWJ site is not owned by the people who allow people to pay-to-play. I can'r remember how I know this. I'll see if I can find out because the OH's family have got a farm over the hill.

In my opinion, the powerhouse would make a cracking house conversion.