Hi,

I am interested in finding out about copper mining in the arae around St Issey.

One of my ancestors a man called Francis PAYNTER born in about 1685 at Gwennap. All I know is that in about 1721-3, he got a job at St. Issey as a mine Captain at a Copper mine.

Below is the little bit of research shows that were mines in that area but maybe of a later period?

Can an expert enlighten me to when the earliest mines opened in that area?
regards, ::)
Phil

Carthew mine near Trevear Farm. Carthew Farm, at the head of Pinkson Creek, is the site of the old Phoenix mine, whose name changed to Carthew Consols in 1847. It went out of production in 1853, but reopened in the early 1860s before finally being abandoned in 1867. Copper was mined here, and the ore was loaded down to the quay for shipment to Padstow and thence to Bristol.

A copper mine at Creddis was a small scale venture in Little Petherick. The shaft at Creddis was no deeper than thirty fathoms and employed no more than forty men. Adjoining Creddis, but in the parish of St Issey, was the copper mine of Legossick'. This had a steam engine on it, being a large adventure, it employed many men. There were a few mines of this sort in the area; and one, Wheal Paynter showed a course of lead at twelve fathoms

The earliest mine I can find is Legossick worked by two Germans named Kranich and Frosse in 1585 as a silver lead mine.
It was again worked in1704-05 by Francis Moult & Co of Newham near Truro. This firm introduced the first iron furnaces in Cornwall to burn coal for the smelting of tin. They were also involved in the smelting of silver, lead and antimony and worked the mine for these metals. The mine was abandoned by them in 1710
It was reopened in 1816 by a London firm under a Capt' Odgers of Camborne and this time worked for copper, with one brief suspension the mine worked to 1827.
Over these three periods the mine produced £ 150,000 of ore
Latter working was under The Phoenix Mine and then Carthew Consols.
On the opposite side of the Camel was another mine recorded at work in 1580 and this was Porthilly Mine also worked for silver lead, possibly on the same lode as Legossick as this lode was known to strike North, this was also worked for silver lead

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