Wheal Speed (near Praa sands?) General info

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BASum
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

Hi guys, I've been trying to research some history about a mine i live quite close to, however have not been able to dig up any good information about it. If you know the area, there are some quite prominent workings just west along the coast from Praa Sands, I think they belong to wheal speed (though i am not sure) which i know is around that area. The beach east of Prussia cove is peppered with adits, so they aren't hard to miss.

Any info regarding history of the mine regarding, mineral, dates, plans or anything interesting really would be an amazing find and a great read. Cheers!

Holes before hoes

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DougCornwall
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

I've got a Speedwell showing slightly inland at Prussia cove with a load of shafts and then a separate mine called Speed is further NE about 1/4 mile inland. All very old. Are they the same mine, lodes look to be extensions of each other at a quick glance?

[/center][/i]Always have a backup plan.[i][center]

wheal
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

I work at Lower Kenneggy Nurseries which is on the site of St Aubyn and Grylls which included the set of Wheal Speed. According to Dines, the mines are connected underground and shared several shafts. The mines were at work between 1862 1868 although the mine remains suggest workings were over a much longer (earlier?) period. There are no separate outputs for Wheal Speed but St Aubyn and Grylls produced 681 tons of Black Tin, 890 tons of Copper ore and 15 tons of Arsenical pyrite from the the same lodes. Good map dated 1888 Cornwall Sheet LXXV.NW.

poke around long enough and you'll find something..

BASum
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

Great info, thanks! I've noticed signs of copper staining on the cliffs in small areas around and about. The workings look to be very extensive, with many many portals (at last check I found 12 adit portals along the same mile long stretch if coast, and that isn't an exaggeration!) so there must be different workings respective to their times.
I've actually explored the adits myself, and 3 of the twelve that I know of are very long. Has anyone explored the adit to the east of the main kenneggy beach (the one with permanently flowing water coming out of it, and is stained orange from all the underground mud)? I managed to explored ~300m, but gave up because it just went on forever! I'd be curious to know where it leads...

Holes before hoes

wheal
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

The adit you refer to is probably the one leading to Engine shaft of St Aubyn and Grylls. This shaft goes According to Dines to 110 fathom below adit level. A rough guesstimate is that this is approx 800m from the entrance.
Happy exploring.:)

poke around long enough and you'll find something..

crickleymal
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

10 years ago

Sounds interesting. We'll be on holiday there next year so I'm going to be having a look there for certain.

Malc.
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Vintage and classic or just plain Jurassic
All words to describe me.

BASum
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

Strangely enough after about 75m you do actually come to a classic Cornish 5' by 9' shaft, but its blocked. Never the less quite an interesting view looking up a blockage rather than down on one! Looking forward to exploring further, it'll certainly be a muddy good adventure!

Holes before hoes

BASum
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie Topic Starter

10 years ago

Re cricklymal, go for it! I can thoroughly recommend the area as there are a lot of really good walk-ins 🙂 though just be wary of the rock as it is quite fissured around there, and tunnels are prone to slumping as well as collapses, so keep your wits about you and have fun! You can only explore the tunnel I'm talking about at low tide, but if you go there when the tides out, there's a lot of other Adits to explore too. Good luck!

Holes before hoes