stuey
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12 years ago
As Roy has mentioned, I imagine the air might be a bit exciting in there.

It is very probable that the shaft has gone.

I wonder if it was an old Trenwith shaft/adit shaft, or whether it was something SWW put in (highly unlikely). I will play with some maps and google earth later and see if I can make any sense out of it.
lozz
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12 years ago
You can go on to Cornwall Councils online planing register enter The Burrows for the location, it will return a list, the place is on there, then click the map view option, there is a small rectangular building to the side of the property I wonder if that's it.
Further up the Stennack are more shafts on that system, there was a big one just West of the fire station by the side of the road, a local councilor bought the land it's on and had it plugged then built his mansion there.

Lozz.
lozz
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12 years ago
"stuey" wrote:

As Roy has mentioned, I imagine the air might be a bit exciting in there.

It is very probable that the shaft has gone.

I wonder if it was an old Trenwith shaft/adit shaft, or whether it was something SWW put in (highly unlikely). I will play with some maps and google earth later and see if I can make any sense out of it.



I think the shaft was an original. SWW also used various other mine workings, there was one up around Wheal Sisters up around the Trencrom area, another was the old Cathederal mine up near Gwennap Pit, there might be others?

Lozz.
wheal
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12 years ago
Cyril Noall in The St Ives Mining District Volume 2 pages 60 - 69 gives a good description of the mine and workings including some of the shaft sites.

Pages 156 - 157 describes how the water from Trenwith Mine was used for the public supply and at the time of writing (1985) " a submerged 90 h.p. pump was working 420ft down Victory Shaft".

In the 1930's a dam was constructed in Dales shaft at 54ft level and the water came out of the adit behind the Cinema.

This means the adit is still there but whether access can be gained is very unlikely. 😞
poke around long enough and you'll find something..
lozz
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12 years ago
The opening to the shaft I have been refering to might still be there, the early google earth photo shows a concrete bunker just to the right of the old SWW building, from memory that was the one I peered down with the owner. There might have been a clause in the deeds which enabled SWW means of access after the property was transfered. The only way to be sure would be to pay a polite visit.
That shaft might have been the original victory shaft ? although I can not say for sure, if anyone has the Cyrill Noal book could they post the layout of Trenwith on here?

Lozz.
wheal
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12 years ago
There is no plan in Noalls book but he does state " the shafts from west to east are Wills (120 yards E by N of Nanjivey cross roads) now a roundabout, Victory ( a little west of Trenwith Square), Berrimans (adjoining the NW corner of Trenwith car park), Old Sump (at the top of Trenwith Burrows Hill), and Dales at the western end of Trenwith Place by the steps leading to Parc an Roper car park.
poke around long enough and you'll find something..
lozz
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12 years ago
"wheal" wrote:

There is no plan in Noalls book but he does state " the shafts from west to east are Wills (120 yards E by N of Nanjivey cross roads) now a roundabout, Victory ( a little west of Trenwith Square), Berrimans (adjoining the NW corner of Trenwith car park), Old Sump (at the top of Trenwith Burrows Hill), and Dales at the western end of Trenwith Place by the steps leading to Parc an Roper car park.



I'm no further forward but thanks for that.

Lozz.
royfellows
12 years ago
Dales Shaft is/was still there and its mineralised dumps fossickable (if thats a proper word) behind some small buildings. However, looking at Google Earth it looks as though the parking area has been extended and a lot now gone. I havent been to St Ives for a few years.
Can someone tell me about it please?

Slightly off subject but for information purposes, part of the old water supply pipe can be seen in the floor of Hain Walk above Carbis Bay. This came from Chyangweal Adit (Trelyon Consols Adit) which is still open but blocked about 50 yards in. (Private land, permission to visit required)
Interesting little place though, entrance modified with a blast wall it was as an ammo store in WW2 and there is some initials in there from that time, it also carries the old water pipe to a red brick dam. This is broken through but there is a collapse a short distance further.
My avatar is a poor likeness.
agricola
12 years ago
re Trenwith adit, I have seen the plans that SWW put in the adit and are held in County Records Office, Truro.

As far as getting in, someone showed me some recent images of the works behind the Cinema, so it might still be possible to get in that way. When I see him next I'll have a quiet word.
If it can't be grown it has to be mined.
lozz
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12 years ago
The area of the shaft I originally refered to (the one in a small block house with iron ladders descending) is still there on google earth, immediatly to the right of the top right corner of the house, the long light coloured strip of land to the left of the house was not where the shaft I was refering to was, when I was last there (pre google earth) that narrow strip was unlandscaped dumps etc. I remember when he first started landscaping that bit because the locals were up in arms about the "weeds" growing on the dumps being lost.

Lozz.
lozz
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12 years ago
"I havent been to St Ives for a few years.
Can someone tell me about it please?"

Yeah, it's full of biggots and hypocrytes.

Lozz.
royfellows
12 years ago
I think we are talking about the same shaft Mr lozz, Dales Shaft. House not there last time I visited.
How places change.

My memory is of a small building divided into 2 with the concrete blockhouse behind it. SWW had it at the time and there was a notice to that effect with the usual warnings/legal threats.
A hole in a fence allowed me to to get to the rear just after they vacated the premises.
The whole area intrigues me. I wonder about some of the manholes above the Royal Cinema.
My avatar is a poor likeness.
lozz
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12 years ago
"royfellows" wrote:

I think we are talking about the same shaft Mr lozz, Dales Shaft. House not there last time I visited.
How places change.

My memory is of a small building divided into 2 with the concrete blockhouse behind it. SWW had it at the time and there was a notice to that effect with the usual warnings/legal threats.
A hole in a fence allowed me to to get to the rear just after they vacated the premises.
The whole area intrigues me. I wonder about some of the manholes above the Royal Cinema.



It might be the same place, the house that is there now was I think part of the SW Water building, the block shed was just to the right of that.

Re: Trenwith, here's an interesting read:

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=MEX19090318.2.4 

Lozz.
wheal
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12 years ago
The streets of St Ives are truly paved with pitchblend.

Does not say that on the tourist guides! 😉
poke around long enough and you'll find something..
royfellows
12 years ago
"wheal" wrote:

The streets of St Ives are truly paved with pitchblend.

Does not say that on the tourist guides! ;D



and Carbis bay beach can give you a tan both sides without you turning over
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lozz
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12 years ago
"wheal" wrote:

The streets of St Ives are truly paved with pitchblend.

Does not say that on the tourist guides! ;D



No it generally doesn't, someone ought to plonk a big sign there,

welcome to St Ives the home of radium... a quick rebuke from the town farthers would swiftly follow.
Maybe one on the beach as well.

Lozz.
stuey
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12 years ago
I've noticed some of the pitchblende, it's more waxy. I think the stuff with the feldspars which is like black felty stuff. I have a feeling that that's super tourmaline rich granite.

I have long had the desire to go around St Ives with an alpha counter.

viewer
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lozz
  • lozz
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12 years ago
Hi Stuey, that isn't the location of the shaft that I originally refered to, it's further East. However where you have highlighted does look like a another shaft position on the Trenwith workings.

Lozz.

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