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Steve led the group of 32 around the Trewavas Mine site which is situated on the cliff top at Rinsey. This mining area consists of three engine houses and worked the southern end of the granite out crop known as the Golgolphin Tregonning Granite.
The Society had for many years hoped that one day this site would be saved from falling into the sea and is to great satisfaction to the members that this refurbishing work has now been completed |
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During the walk Steve told the party about the mine and engine houses that worked the mine in search of copper and some tin, not only from the workings inland but also stretching out beneath the sea. The first engine house on route was at Wheal Prosper which had a 30inch engine and only worked from 1860 to 1866, working to a depth of 70 fathoms from surface, but was never a successfull mine |
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Wheal Trewavas opened in 1834 on four copper lodes running generally in a NW-SE direction and one tin lode running east west across them. The south east copper lode continued out under the sea.
A 16.5inch engine was errected near the base of the cliff and was later replaced with a 70 inch engine, it is not known if this engine was placed in the engine house that had the 16.5 engine or if a new house was built. |
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Out put from this shaft was conveyed to the dressing floors at the top of the cliff via a horse whim In 1838 a new pumping engine house housing a 45 inch engine was errected higher up the cliff to the east known as Rogers Shaft. This was supplied by Harvey's of Hayle and was sold again in 1844 The copper from this mine was taken to Portheleven and transported to Swansea via ship to be smelted. During its period of operation it had produced over a £1000,000 worth of copper. Trewavas closed in 1846 |
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