Mine exploration, photographs and mining history for mine explorers, industrial archaeologists, researchers and historians aditnow.co.uk
North Wheal Basset Copper Mine (United Kingdom)
North Wheal Basset mine was comparatively short-lived. It lay to the north-east of Carnkie village and was reopened in the late 1840s by Captain J. Lyle whose family was to contribute greatly to the development of the Camborne-Redruth mining industry. The remains of the buildings could still be seen in the 1980s. (Morrison 1983: 316). It was briefly very productive of copper in the 1850s when a rich vein was struck at the 52fm but the great problem was that they failed to locate the Great Flat lode. It had five main shafts. Miner’s shaft 82 fm below adit, New Shaft 142fm, Lyle’s 102, Western 52, Grace’s 122.(Morrison 1983: 316-20). Lyle’s and Grace’s Shafts were to regain a new lease of life in 1878 when the set was taken over by Wheal Basset. Total production figures of copper ore from 1846-1868 were 30,157 tons of which most were concentrated in the 1850s decade. When Spargo did his survey in 1864 the he noted that the mine had become poor. It had pumping engines, 60 and 40 inch. Winding and crushing-engines, two 24 inch, two water stamping mills. There were 85 men, 50 females, and 30 boys employed.
North Wheal Basset cannot be left without repeating the story of the location of Grace’s shaft. It is straight out of mining folklore. The story went something like this.
In 1850 the miners were becoming increasingly desperate to locate sufficient copper deposits to meet costs. Casually they often mentioned to an elderly local woman, “ Nothing can be done Gracie; we shall have to knack the bal ”. Bur Gracie Mill always made the same reply. “ Take’n try over there, do’ee; that’s where we seed the Jackey Lanterns “. Initially they ignored Grace but in some desperation they finally set to work at the place recommended . The rest is history. From it, profits of £90,000 were made. The old lady was granted 5s a month and a new dress annually by the mine in recognition of her acute ability to ‘read the signs’.(Jenkin 1927: 296). Actually there was nothing particularly new about this. As Jenkins points out (1927: 43), a feature regarded by tinners from earliest times as the favorable indication of mineral was the appearance of the Will-o’-the-Wisp, or Jack-o,-Lanthorn. The clairvoyants were known as ‘dreamers’ and are remembered in the name Wheal Dream. No doubt every mining community had its fair share of dreaming geniuses.
References
Jenkin Hamilton, A.K., The Cornish Miner, Butler & Tanner Lt, Frome, 1927, republished 1948.
Morrison, T.A. Cornwall’s Central Mines; The Southern District 1810-1895, Alison Hodge, Penzance, 1983.
Spargo, T., The Mines of Cornwall; Statistics and Observations, 1865. Republished Barton, D.B., Truro, 1960.
See also: WHEAL BASSET; LYLE'S SHAFT
Latest Documents for North Wheal Basset Copper Mine
Sorry, no documents have been uploaded yet for North Wheal Basset Copper Mine.
Photo Albums for North Wheal Basset Copper Mine
North Wheal Basset Archive Album You are welcome to use this album for uploading archive or historical photographs of North Wheal Bas...
Last modified 10/10/2007 17:13:08 by carnkie.
North Wheal Basset User Album You are welcome to use this album for uploading photographs of North Wheal Basset.
Last modified 04/10/2007 12:00:26 by carnkie.Google Earth Map of North Wheal Basset Copper Mine
To view the Google Map for this mine please log in or register an account.
Click here to discuss North Wheal Basset Copper Mine in the forum.
The correct forum will be automatically selected.
There are no events currently planned.
Add an Event
If you would like to visit North Wheal Basset Copper Mine then click here to add an event to the calendar.
If you worked or work at North Wheal Basset why not share that information with other AditNow members?
Add Yourself
If you would like to share your photographs and documents please use the links below:
Upload a Document
Post a Sticky (Note)
Discuss in Forum
You must be logged in to access your Favourite Mines/Quarries.
Please log in or register an account.
To view the grid reference for this mine please log in or register an account.
North Wheal Basset belongs to the Camborne and Redruth region.
Click here to view all the mines and quarries in this major mining region.
Barncoose Copper Mine
Basset Tramway
Basset Tin Stamp or Dressing Floor
Basset Tin Mine
Basset & Buller Cons Mixed Mine
Basset South Copper Mine
Blowinghouse Tin Blowing House
Breeches Mixed Mine
Brunton Explosive Factory
Bucketts Tin Mine
Bullet & Basset Utd. Mixed Mine
Captain Mixed Mine
Carn Brea Copper Mine
Carn Brea & Tincroft Ltd Tin Mine
Carn Brea Granite Quarry Granite Quarry
Carn Brea Tin Stream Co Tin Tin Stream
Carnarthen Consols Mixed Mine
Carnkie Tin Mine
Carvannel West Mixed Mine
Charmer Mixed Mine
Church Combe Stream Works Tin Stamp or Dressing Floor
Clijah Mixed Mine
Clijah & Wentworth Mixed Mine
Clijah and Wentworth Copper Mine
Copper Hill Copper Mine
East Carn Brea Mixed Mine
East Pool Mixed Mine
East Pool & Agar Limited Tin Mine
East Pool and Agar Tin Mine
East Wheal Basset Copper Mine
East Wheal Frances Mixed Mine
East Wheal Grenville Tin Mine
East Wheal Sparnon Mixed Mine
East Wheal Uny Mixed Mine
East Wheal Uny Consols Mixed Mine
Filtrick Mixed Mine
Forest Mixed Mine
Fox Hole Mixed Mine
Goodspeed Mixed Mine
Grillis Mixed Mine
Haughton Downs Mixed Mine
Illogan Mixed Mine
Illogan Mines Copper Mine
Lyle's Mixed Shaft
Marriott's Mixed Shaft
New Wheal Virgin Mixed Mine
North Tincroft Tin Mine
North Wheal Frances Tin Mine
North Wheal Frances Mixed Mine
Old Carn Brea Mixed Mine
Old Metal Work Mixed Mine
Paul Mixed Mine
Pednandrea Tin Mine
Penhellick Mixed Mine
Penstruthal Consols Mixed Mine
Perseverance Tin Mine
Polpone Mixed Mine
Redruth Hospital Tin Blowing House
Rock Mixed Mine
Seleggan Tin Smelter
Silver Hoskings Mixed Mine
South Basset b Mixed Mine
South Carn Brea Mixed Mine
South Dolcoath Copper Mine
South Tincroft Tin Mine
South Wheal Basset Copper Mine
South Wheal Buller & West Penstruthal Mixed Mine
South Wheal Frances Copper Mine
South Wheal Frances Mixed Mine
South Wheal Grenville Mixed Mine
Tehidy Mixed Mine
Thomas Mixed Shaft
Tincroft Tin Mine
Tinner Mixed Mine
Tolskithy Mixed Mine
Tregajorran Mixed Mine
Tregajorran Tin Blowing House
Trengwith Mixed Mine
Trewirgie Downs Mixed Mine
West Basset Stamps Stamp or Dressing Floor
West Consols Mixed Mine
West Penstruthal Tin Mine
West Wheal Basset Copper Mine
West Wheal Basset Tin Stamp or Dressing Floor
West Wheal Frances Tin Mine
West Wheal Frances Mixed Mine
West Wheal Virgin Mixed Mine
Wheal Acar Mixed Mine
Wheal Agar (Illogan) Copper Mine
Wheal Basset Copper Mine
Wheal Buller Copper Mine
Wheal Druid (Carn Brea) Copper Mine
Wheal Fanny (Illogan) Copper Mine
Wheal Fortune (Illogan) Copper Mine
Wheal Haste Mixed Mine
Wheal Providence Tin Mine
Wheal Sparnon Cobalt Mine
Wheal Trefusis Mixed Mine
Wheal Union Mixed Mine
Wheal Union Sn & Cu Min.Co Mixed Mine
Wheal Uny Tin Mine
Wheal Wentworth Mixed Mine
Change view area
If you have any questions at all about mine exploration or the AditNow web site please get in touch:
info@aditnow.co.uk
Spotted any problems with the web site, or any inaccuracies or errors in the information on here? Please let us know:
info@aditnow.co.uk
