Perranzabuloe Mining District - New Wheal Chiverton

OS Explorer Map 106: Grid reference SW776529

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New Wheal Chiverton, also known as Chiverton Consols or Wheal Anna, lies about a mile southeast of Perranporth in the Perranzabuloe Mining District. Situated just to the east of New Wheal Leisure and South Wheal Leisure. The mine can be thought of as having three distinct sections, a western section, a central section and an eastern section. It worked five lodes - North Lode, South Lode, No.1, No.2 and No.3 Lodes from a number of shafts including: Engine Shaft, Whim Shaft, Flat Rod Shaft and New Engine Shafts. The mine produced 300 tons of 73% lead ore, 1,300 ounces of silver, 25 tons of arsenic, 640 tons of zinc ore and 15 tons of pyrite between 1864 and 1878.

An account of the state of New Wheal Chiverton in the mid 1860's comes from Thomas Spargo's book of 1865, entitled 'Statistics and Observations on the Mines of Cornwall and Devon'. He writes '... in Perranzabuloe, Cornwall. Purser, Mr. Wm. Page Cardozo, Camborne. Manager, Captain James Juliff, Truro. Landowner, Lord Falmouth. Adit, 3 fathoms. Depth below, 50 fathoms. Pumping-engine, 40-inch. Rock, clay-slate. Operations commenced in 1863. 30 men, 1 female, and 4 boys at work'.

It was managed by John Trewartha and James Trewartha between 1867 and 1879 and was reported as 'in liquidation' in late 1878.

Now that 'World Heritage' status has been achieved Cornwall in Focus will monitor developments and learn how the mines of the Perranzabuloe Mining District fare within the overall Mining framework.

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