With Dickie kindly uploading more of his photos from the 1970s and the latest being Wheal Edward, I have a question that I have pondered on for years.
Has West Owles pumping shaft ever been open?
I am aware Cargodna is open and been up the adit there and through it.
Looked long and hard for any sign of Owles adit, West Owles pumping shaft must cut it. Tried a bit of digging on the shore a few years back, waste of time.
Did it come out at high tide mark or further up the cliff.
Questions, questions, anyone have any answers or even thoughts?

---

There is nothing sader than an unanswered question!

Not sure when the fun-spoilers came in and plugged the shaft, but I don't have a DLG-funded report for it so it's likely pre-1990s. Connected to the Geevor lease of the area? Most shafts capped pre-DLG funding were in connection with mine owners thwarting future crafty fly tippers.

You are right to assume the Cargodna & West Owles systems are independent (at least at/above adit). The crafty pickmen (possibly with more hammer-arm than brain) popped the Owls adit in on the south corner of "Reeth Zawn" below the engine house. Older than this they also placed a number of shallow trials and a more major adit about half way down on the outcrop. There's an interesting account of the cheeky chippers finding an unknown yellow substance in the adit, which we now to be Uraninite. I'm sure if you combed St Just graveyard with a geiger counter you'd find their plots in no time!

Reeth zawn is named as such because it means something like "open" or "opening"; maybe a tribute to the vicinity being a large area of eroded gossan. Cargodna comes from "Carrack-an-codna" or "neck of rock" referring likely to the Loe Warren rock, connected to the foreshort by a tidal istmus.

gissus a poke if you're down and fancy a dig sometime soon. The plans are reasonably accurate (they got the message after the '93 oopsie) which might streamline exposing the orifice to within worldly possibilities.

KM

I was down there before the West Owles shaft was plugged and the shaft was blocked with the usual rubbish. But must have been open before that up until???

I gained the Cargodna Adit by going down the cliff 'head' left looking seaward went to CA after a 12 ft wire ladder. The adit as I remember it was a 'double' with a drainage below another. Tight squeeze to get into the shaft, bits of ladder in there. A climb up at the back with a rope , put in by rock chippers?

Right, down at the head, lead to the cove where I did a bit of digging, waste of time. Owles Adit would be a nice one, but I am not the only one who has tried for it.
Been years ago now.

Edward Cliff workings were another mooch, the length of rail stuck in upper adit as a belay came from north Wales!
:lol:

---

With lizard lickin' riggin' like that you'll be at home in these parts ;)

It's an interesting, but as yet not extensive area. There are a few open shafts that still need checking besides digging the adits. None of it's very well explored