Wendron Mining District - Wendron Consols

OS Explorer Map 103: Grid reference SW689319

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Wendron Consols Mine lies just south of Porkellis United Mine and adjoins New Wendron Mine in Wendron parish. A little way to the southwest lies Poldark Mine - now a tourist attraction and the only place in Cornwall where it is possible to see a working pumping engine. The mine worked a number of lodes including Richard's Lode, Flander's Lode, Liddlecote's Lode, Main (Hurler's) Lode, Grace's Lode and Grenfell Lode. The lodes were worked from at least sixteen shafts including: Hill's, Richard's, Cluya's, Kendall's, Barclay's, Bishop's, Robert's, Sleeman's, Engine, Hurler's, Bal Dees, Grace's, Blight's, Whip, Middle and Grenfell Shafts.

Output from the mine was 2,390 tons of tin and 48 tons of 16% copper ore between 1854 and 1869. The mine raised over 200 tons of black tin for each year between 1857 and 1863. The mine's best years production were in 1857, when 269.9 tons of black tin worth £20,394 were raised and also in 1862 when the 320 tons produced was sold for £20,913.50.

Thomas Spargo reports in his book 'Statistics and Observations on the Mines of Cornwall and Devon' (1865) that Wendron Consols was '... In Wendron, near Helston, has been at work about twelve years, and is in the lands of H.R.H. the Duke of Cornwall, Hon. A. M. Agar, Mr. Basset, and Rev. W. Grylls. There are six lodes being worked on; the depth of the mine is 80 fathoms. Persons employed, men, 230, females, 64, and boys, 74 — total 368 (in 1861). The steam power employed consists of one 60-inch pumping engine, and one 24-inch winding engine. Water-wheels lift 55 stamp heads, in returning tin. The calls made amount to £1,173 6s. 9d., since which the sum of £8,960 has been divided amongst the shareholders out of profits. The sum paid to the lords as dues is £4,644 15s. lOd. The purser is Mr. F. Hill, of Helston, who holds largely in the concern, and whose success is well deserved. He is a persevering adventurer — not discouraged by what miners call "ill-luck." Manager, Captain. J. Taylor; Agents, Captains E. Jenkins and W. Johns.'.

Mining historian A. K. Hamilton Jenkin also reports on Wendron Consols: '... Hill's Shaft commenced sinking below the 90 fathom level in 1863 with 'prospects of this part of the mine in depth seem very good'. Equipment on the mine include a 70-inch pumping engine (for sale in 1866) and an 18-inch winding engine (for sale in 1867)'.

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) or what is widely regarded as the mining enthusiasts bible by H G Dines - The Metalliferous Mining Region of South-West England: Vols I & II (Economic Memoirs).

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