Beacon Hill Mine, Cornwall
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Padstow, Bodmin and Newquay

Quick links to :-     Padstow, Bodmin and Newquay     St Austell, Fowey and Par     Redruth and Perranporth
    Penzance, St Ives and St Just

Beacon Hill Mine - SW 9691 6215

Variously known as Beacon Hill Mine, Belovely or Belowda Beacon was chiefly a tin mine working Wheal Dora Lode and Webb's Lode. The enterprise was quite short-lived and was only in operation for 30 years - 1872 to 1902, during this time it produced 49 tons of tin. There were attempts at reopening the mine in 1909, 1921 and 1935 but these came to nothing.

The Bodmin and Wenford Railway and Wenfordbridge branch - SX 0415 6740

Well, the day started quite pleasantly while I watched 4612 arrive, run round it's train and head off again at Boscarne Junction, ahhh, memories. So then I set off up the Wenfordbridge branch and then it started to pour down with rain. But I did get to Wenfordbridge and back again.

Delabole Quarry - SX 0755 8420

The biggest hole in the world (at one time!)

Padstow

The cast iron water tank at Padstow gun battery is embossed with "Douglass Bros Ld, Blaydon-on-Tyne, C & M 1888". The Stepper Point Quarry had a tramway running from the quarry to the building in the photo, a crusher or transfer point.

Trevose Head - SW 8505 7630
Trebetherick Point - SW 9250 7795

with quarries and shipwrecks

Newquay Canal - SW 8393 6273
Newquay town - SW 8115 6190

The Newquay end of the St Colomb Canal started at the top of Lusty Glaze incline, SW 8242 6255, and reached St Colomb Minor where the course can be traced along the hillside.
Newquay Harbour railway is now a footpath and the caves below have doors leading up to the hotels above.


Par, St Austell and Fowey

Quick links to :-     Padstow, Bodmin and Newquay     St Austell, Fowey and Par     Redruth and Perranporth
    Penzance, St Ives and St Just

The Luxulyan Valley and Treffrys Tramway

Joseph Treffry (1782 - 1850) was an industrialist with many interests in Mining, quarrying and china clay. He built the leat and tramway down the valley to the Fowey Consols Mine and the port of Par. Both the tramway and leat crossed the Par river valley on a unique 10-arched stone viaduct, the leat running beneath the tramway.

North of Treffry's Viaduct - SX 0540 5740

From Treffry's Viaduct the leat and tramway ran Northwards towards Luxulyan where the tramway was superseded by the Newquay railway. The original tramway ended at Molinnis.

Colcerrow Quarry - SX 0645 5780

Colcerrow Quarry and Carbeans Quarry were at the end of a tramway branch from the South of Treffrys Viaduct. The Colcerrow line was the last part of the tramway to be used, traffic was worked from the quarry to Luxulyan, reversing at the viaduct, at least until the 1930s with a short stub in use until 1959.

Treffry's Viaduct - SX 0561 5721

Treffry's Viaduct carried the leat and tramway over the Par valley on a stone-built ten arch structure. The viaduct was probably uniqur in carrying both tramway and leat over the valley. It was built between 1839 and 1842 and designed and constructed by Treffry's steward, William Pease.

Carmears Tramway - SX 0631 5691

From Treffries Viaduct to Ponts Mill

Carmears Waterwheel - SX 0656 5667

The Carmears Waterwheel was buit in 1841and used firstly for incline haulage and later to power a clay crushing mill. Originally an 34ft wheel, a 40ft wheel was installed in the 1890s when it powered china stone grinding pans. The mill closed in 1908 and the wheel was broken up in 1940

The Lower Tramway and Trevanney Dry - SX 0660 5625

The lower tramway, built in 1868, served the Dry and then the Rock Mill Quarry and Orchard Quarry of the 'South Cornwall Granite Co'. Traffic to the Dry finished in 1960 and the quarries closed in 1928. Trevanney Dry was built in 1920 by the Central Cornwall China Clay Co. It was taken over by ECLP Ltd in 1935 and connected to their pipeline network and closed in 1965.

Fowey and Polruan SX126513

Pont Quay - SX 1433 5185

Pont Quay (or Pont Pill) at the end of Pont Creek has two well-preserved limekilns, recorded here in 1814, the limestone coming from Plymouth. The tariff board is dated 1894 and there are two warehouses to hold the 'imports and exports' that crossed the River Fowey, roadstone, bricks, coal, manure and flour going in and grain and logs going out. There is also a corn mill, sawmill, a beer house and blacksmith shop around the quay. Pont Creek is believed to have inspired 'Wind in the Willows' by Kenneth Graham.

Caerhays, Gorran - SW 9724 4130

Below Caerhays Castle, on the seawall of Porthluney Bay, is this pillbox. Another one is hidden in the undergrowth near the castle.


Redruth and Perranporth

Quick links to :-     Padstow, Bodmin and Newquay     St Austell, Fowey and Par     Redruth and Perranporth
    Penzance, St Ives and St Just

Moseley Heritage Museum, Redruth - SW 6853 4283

Moseley Heritage Museum, West Tolgus, Redruth, has an amazing collection of old model railways, Meccano sets and Cornish mining locomotives. If you ask nicely, they may let you drive one.

South Wheal Francis, Redruth - SW 6805 3935

The large copper and tin mine of South Wheal Francis,

Wheal Raven, Redruth - SW 6803 4255

Wheal Raven has three chimneys, the stepped chimney served a boiler house down in the valley. The other two are arsenic calciner flues. Wheal Raven worked in the 1830s and later became part of South and West Wheal Tolgus. Wheal Tehidy worked from 1834-1842 and 1851-1861 leaving its chimney for posterity and the chimneys of Wheal Uny stand out on the skyline.

Treamble, near Perranporth - SW 7845 5610

Unusually for Cornwall, Treamble was an iron and Fullers Earth mine, with its own branchline from the Perranporth to Newquay Railway. It was mainly active between 1920 and 1940.


Penzance, St Ives and St Just

Quick links to :-     Padstow, Bodmin and Newquay     St Austell, Fowey and Par     Redruth and Perranporth
    Penzance, St Ives and St Just

Botallack Crown Mines - SW 3623 3353

Botallack Crown Mines are one of the star attractions in Cornwall and are surrounded by all manner of industrial ruins.

Geevor Tin Mine - SW 3755 3450

Geevor Tin Mines Ltd was mining from 1911 to 1990 when falling tin prices forced its closure, to become a major museum. The mine itself dates back to at least 1791.

Levant Tin Mine - SW 3685 3450

Levant Tin Mine is owned by the National Trust and houses a working steam-powered beam engine. The surrounding area is a maze of old shafts, workings and ruins.

Penzance - SW 4770 3075

St Ives and Carrack Dews mine - SW 5108 4093

The Carrack Dews mine on Carrick Du was in existence by 1853 but disused and the engine houses in ruins in 1877, The site was quarried later just leaving this shaft.


Acknowledgments, sources and further reading.

"Luxulyan Valley" published by the 'Friends of Luxulyan Valley' is an excellent guide to the footpaths and sights in the area.


A Guide to the Website


All rights reserved - Phil Jenkins