just been camping in st just area of cornwall
brilliant coastal path walk
LOADS of pictures of tin mines
cant wait to go back : 😉

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Hi,
Did you go down to Priests Cove and the Cott Valley by Cape Cornwall? If you look carefully in Priests Cove you can see the drainage Adits for the Cape Cornwall mine. Don't go in if you have no experience of equipment (I've pulled a few people out in my time down there).

The whole region has been heavily mined since the bronze age. I have good memories of living in Camborne and exploring the mines. I must move back down to Cornwall!!! 🙂

Cheers
Wes

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hi
thanks for info
amazing raised beach in area with round white rocks on beach
steve 😉

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Another place to be careful of is Kenidjack Valley, which contains many shafts hidden in the undergrowth so don't wander too far off the pathways. We are forever getting called out to retrieve dogs that have fallen into old workings. The majority of these seem to date from mid to late eighteenth century and were typicaly worked from surface on the 'Back' of the lode. Having said that that, the area gets more fascinating with every visit. There is always something new to discover or to set your mind puzzling. Kenidjack is the next valley north of Cot Valley (Cape Cornwall) and it's agreed by most that if any evidence of bronze age underground mining is to be discovered, this is where it will be. Stay Safe Steve, we've got to get you underground! Roy M.

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hi roy
what is a coffin?
was Kenidjack the valley with the Arsenic workings that have just been done up by the NT 🙂

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Coffin:

Old Cornish word for an open work, where the lode has been worked from the surface as a trench.

Malcolm

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Hi,
"Coffin" is a term used to describe the shape of a drive (tunnel); If you look at their profile they look just like a coffin hence the name.

I spent 3 great years at Camborne School of Mines and spent far too much time slipping off underground around Cape Cornwall.For my sins I was also member of the mine rescue team too long ago to count! I was fortunate to work at Wheal Jane and South Crofty as a student.

There are two excellent books that cover the St Just mining district in detail. I'll dig them out and post the ISBN, author and Title. Some of my collection of mining books come from the St Just United mine, I bought them in a junk shop in Camborne a lucky find!

I'd love to move back down their and spend my time mapping the workings.

Just be very careful, some of the shafts are DEEP and if you're on you're own you may never be found. If you go in the rough and are uncertain I would recommend belaying yourself and be prepared to climb out. Better safe than sorry.

Cheers,
Wes

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Mention of the CSM reminds me of their virtual museum web site. If anyone doesn't know it it's worth a look.

http://www.projects.ex.ac.uk/geomincentre/ 

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Roy,

I'm quite interested in evidence (or lack of it)of Bronze Age workings in Cornwall. I would be grateful if you could point me in the right direction of your source for your statement "There is always something new to discover or to set your mind puzzling. Kenidjack is the next valley north of Cot Valley (Cape Cornwall) and it's agreed by most that if any evidence of bronze age underground mining is to be discovered, this is where it will be". Thanks

Malcolm

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See article at:

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1417 

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Carn,
My source for the of info about the likelyhood of bronze age [/u]underground[u]mining. was from a post trip chat in the pub (where else!) with a member of the Cornwall archaelogical unit, who often accompanies us. Well versed in such matters. he has in the past written articles on the subject and undertaken much survey work in the Cape Cornwall area.
Evidence of medieval stream works are about as old as I have encountered, but I'm stiill optimistic that sooner or later someone will stumble on a good find, (hopefull not stumble in!)


Roy.M

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Steve,
A coffin is indeed an open work. Pryce 1778 describes it thus: 'Old workings which were all worked open to grass, without any shafts, by virtue of digging and casting up the tin stuff from one stage of boards to another. Workings all open like an entrenchment.

This process of raising ore was known as Shammeling.
the word Coffin, also varoiusly spelled Coffen or Koffen is a corruption of the Cornish word 'Goghan' which is an open work.

The coffin shaped tunnels were known as 'Coffin levels' and this name probably dates from a much later time than when they were excavated. these Coffin levels are typicalof the 18th Century.
Roy.M

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Don't know what happened with all the underlining?????? apologies. Roy.M

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Hi Wes,
I'm sure we must know oneanother or have at least met in the past. Ihave been with the Mine Rescue Team since the early meetings in the CSM social club and have just taken the chair to lead us into our 21st year since we were established. The early history of the group makes for fascinating reading and brings back many memories. One that springs instantly to mind was the sticks of 'Bang' we found in Wheal Bellan and the had Bomb Disposal guys come out to extract them and blow them up on the beach. Excellent! they really love to blow things up and told us that they would strap enough 'powder' to it to guarrantee total destruction......they certainly did!
Your old St Just books sound like a wonderful find, it would be nice to see them if ever you are down this way.
Roy.M

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Hi Roy,
I was in when Mark "wigglybitz" (never could pronounce his surname) from CSM and many of the CSM folk were involved. Date wise wer are looking around the 1989 time frame.

We came across many interesting things undeground, plenty of explosives if you know where to look.

Dod you get down Wheal Gorland (think I got the name right) at St. Day? That place was a gold mine for the minerals collector. I know the guys that re-opend it made a killing selling specimens.

I'll let you know next time I'm down your neck of the woods and bring the books with me. I must get around to scanning my photos of the mines and plotting all my field notes and measurements.

Cheers for now.

Wes

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From an article by Colin Shell, "The early exploitation of tin deposits in south west England".

Better evidence of Late Bronze Age tin-working is the founders hourd from Kenidjack Castle, St. Just, where a piece of smelted tin was found within a hut foundation with three south western/Welsh socketed axes, a winged palstave fragment, bronze casting debris, and over twenty copper ingots. The site is adjacent to a tin-stream valley.

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Hi Wes,
Certainly do know the gorland guys i was instrumental in getting my good friend, the now late, Dave Smith, to open it up in 1981and resume work there from where they left off in about 1976. Dave and a small group of others were responsible for mucking out the footway shaft and re laddering it. when Dave and I looked at it in 81 the ladderway was ok ish and only needed a little seeing to here and there. A few years later the whole lot was re laddered and new stages fitted. since that time a lot of work has been done and within the last 18 months the cap has been dug away and a new reinforced concrete access put in to keep the top stabilised. This should be good for a very long time to come. Most of the same people are still involved too. there's dedication for you!
Cheers to all on Adit Now, Roy

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