The Mines of Gwennap - Wheal Rose

OS Explorer Map 104: Grid reference SW722447

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The sett of Wheal Rose lies immediately north of Scorrier and to the east of Great North Downs Mine of which it later became a part.

Thomas Spargo writes about Wheal Rose in his 1865 book entitled 'The Mines of Cornwall and Devon: Statistics and Observations'. He states:

'... in St. Agnes, Cornwall, in 2,000 shares. Purser, Mr. H. Michell, St. Day United. Manager: Captain George Tremayne, Wheal Rose, Scorier. Mineral Owners: Duchy, half of tin, Lords of Tywarnhayle Tyas, other half; of copper, Messrs. Williams, Ley, Jago, and Geach. Dues of tin l-13th, of copper l-18th, Depth of adit, 42 fathoms, Depth undeti it 90 fathoms. Pumping-engine, 70-inch. Winding and crushing engine, 24-inch. 195 men, 100 females, and 45 boys employed. Rock, clay-slate.
Mineral Sold in 1864: Copper Ore: 2,691 tons 16 cwt. 2qrs. for £14,432 11s 1d.

Present Company began work on June 2, 1862, and had immediate success, which still continues. A former Company who abandoned the sett about 60 or 70 years ago, is said to have realised a large profit out of the mine. Mr. Sampson Waters is the principal shareholder, and he is said to be successful everywhere'.

Another account describes its relationship to Great North Downs Mine when Wheal Rose was absorbed: '... North Downs and Wheal Rose United, - North Downs part of this concern is in the manor of Treleigh, in Redruth, and Wheal Rose part is in the manor of Goonearl, in the parish of St. Agnes. The former ceased to work about thirty and the latter about sixty or seventy years ago. Anciently, both were, it is said, good mines. The last company commenced operations in January, 1860, and erected on North Downs an 80-inch cylinder engine, which, owing to the extent of ground to be drained — including Briggan and Hallenbeagle Mines — has been found insufficient to fork the mines. In setting to work mines of the extent of North Downs and Wheal Rose United, it must be apparent that a heavy outlay must be made before any equivalent returns of copper or tin can be made; and the company, who expended £9,000, must make up their minds to expend at least about twice as much more before they raise minerals enough to pay the current costs and that must be done by going down considerably below the present bottom, which is about 80 fathoms under the adit. The mine was in the hands of a good manager — Captain Joseph Vivian; and the purser was Mr. R. Greenwood, of Truro. The only mineral sold up to the end of I860, was tin-stuff for £318. The district is a good one. Since abandoned.'

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