Giew Mine

Giew Mine Grid reference SW500371

Giew Mine lies alongside the B3311 minor road linking Penzance and St. Ives. The surviving engine house stands over the 225m deep Frank's shaft on the western flank of Trink Hill in Towednack Parish. Its location makes it a landmark from miles around. The remaining buildings lie near the hamlet of Cripplesease just past the Engine Inn pub, about half a mile northeast of the village of Nancledra.

The mine is known to have been working from the mid-eighteenth century. In its time Giew has been known as Gew, Reeth Consols, Trink and St. Ives Consols. The remaining buildings centered around Frank's Shaft are only the easternmost of a number of shafts all working the area. The engine house dates from 1874 as can be seen above the arched window. This was part of the re-working of Giew Mine started in 1869 by Thomas Treweeke. Other shafts, running from east to west include Blackburn's, Robinsons Engine, Martins, Ladock Shaft and Giew Engine Shaft where it joined Billia Consols Mine. It produced tin up until 1922 along with the neighbouring Georgia Consols at SW487363.

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