Society walk of the Porkellis mining district with Bob Royds 28/7/2023
Porkellis Moor is an extensive area of marsh land that has been streamed for tin over many centuries
Thanks to Bob for leading the walk around the mining area of Porkellis
Tyack’s engine house that once served Bassett and Grills mine which had started in 1845 was moved to its present site after a the ground collapsed at the mine killing 6 men and 1 boy in 1858
Wheal Enys to the east of the moors also known as Wheal Vernon, started around 1815, at the time it had a water engine and 10 stamping mills.
In 1849 the mine was restarted as a new venture worked eight different lodes, at a depth of about eight fathoms below adit.
Between 1853-59 Wheal Enys and had a 40-inch pumping engine and 30-inch stamps engine, selling 259 tons of black tin.
The mine closed around 1860 having failed to make decent profits.
In the April, the mine equipment went up for sale, including the 30-inch pumping engine and 24-engine stamps with 32 heads and their respective boilers.
In 1907 a small group of miners opened up trial pits and claimed to find a ‘rich lode’, aiming to erect a 30-inch pumping engine. Nothing further came of this.