The Mines of the Carnon Valley - Great Wheal Baddon

OS Explorer Map 105: Grid reference SW777421

View Larger Map

Great Wheal Baddon, also spelt as Baddern, lies 3 miles southeast of St. Day in the parish of Kea.The sett lies immediately to the east of the large tailings dam of Wheal Jane at the head of the Carnon Valley. The mine worked mainly from three lodes. Main Lode was worked from Kenworthy's, Twedale's, Buckley's, Burgan's, Eastern Engine, Eastern Whim and Clemow's Shafts; Tin Lode was worked from Sunderland Shaft. There was also a lode called Jack's Lode on the site but we have no records of its shafts. Its nearest neigbours were East Wheal Falmouth, half a mile to the north and Wheal Jane Mine about half a mile away to the northwest.

Great Wheal Baddern includes the earlier mines of Wheal Grease and parts of the adjoining Basset Graze United sett. Production records state that for the period between 1850 and 1870 the mine sold 3,379 tons of lead ore at 70% and 41,107 ounces of silver. Between 1854 and 1857 it raised and sold 1,137 tons of zinc ore as well as 26 tons of black tin between 1852 and 1872.

A good account of the state of Great Wheal Baddon in the mid 1860's comes from Thomas Spargo's book of 1865, entitled 'Statistics and Observations on the Mines of Cornwall and Devon' where he writes 'Great Wheal Baddern, in the parish of Kea, Cornwall, in 3,313 shares. Secretary, Mr. T. B. Laws, London. Purser, Mr. I. M. Visack, at the mine.

Mineral Lord, Viscount Falmouth, 2/3rds, and Messrs. Graham & Vivian, 1/3rd. Dues, 1-18th. Adit, 10 fathoms deep. Depth under adit, 50 fathoms. 58 men, 13 females, and 14 boys employed, total 85. Pumping-engine, 66-inch cylinder. Stamping-engine, 30-inch cylinder. The rocks are clay-slate and elvan.
Mineral Sold In 1864: 26 tons 12 cwt. 3 qrs. 6 lbs. for £1,621 5s 9d

It is much to be regretted that there should have been occasion to draw so much on the Company for funds to carry on these works. They have manifested great patience, but "hope deferred maketh the heart sick"'.

For more information on production dates and so on please see Roger Burt's excellent book Cornish Mines: Metalliferous and Associated Minerals, 1845-1913 (Mineral Statistics of the United Kingdom, 1845-1913).

For those of you with possibly a little more time to explore, once you've done 'the tourist bit', why not explore Cornwall's industrial heritage through its Tin and Copper Mines or learn more from my Cornish Bookstore