Devon Great Consols
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The largest copper mine in the nominated Site is
Devon Great Consols. It covers 67 hectares and is now mostly
occupied by a conifer plantation.
Devon Great Consols was formed in 1844 and was
then known as North Bedford Mines or Wheal Maria. The spot in
which workings begun in 1844 had been suspected to contain a rich
copper lode in the early nineteenth century, but development had
been retarded by the then Duke of Bedford who did not want
Blanchdown Plantation to be despoiled by mining.
What was discovered was the largest unbroken sulphide copper lode
in the south west of England and the richness of the ore caused a
sensation and was so abundant that it was difficult to store it. A
small waterwheel was erected and the lode was exploited for 16
fathoms eastwards until it was suddenly lost, intersected by the
Great Cross Course which heaved it 75 fathoms to the south. A
minor panic ensued until the lode was found again to the SE of
Wheal Maria, initiating another working named Wheal Fanny. There
followed a series of mines along its course, including Wheal Anna
Maria, Wheal Josiah and Wheal Emma, the last opened in 1848.
In 1846 the Devonshire Great Consolidated Copper
Mining Company came into being to work the above-mentioned mines,
as well as Wheals Frementor and Watson, the sett extending over 2
miles in length working a lode which was in places over 40 feet
wide and extending to over 1,800 feet in depth. In the halcyon
days of 1846, shares in the enterprise were changing hands at £800
each.
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As the workings became
deeper, additional pumping power was required; by 1847 steam
engines had been erected at Wheal Maria, Wheal Josiah, Wheal Anna
Maria and Wheal Emma. Concerns over the rising cost of fuel for
the engines led tom plans to dewater workings using water power,
permission to harness the Tamar granted by the Duchy of Cornwall
in 1849. To convey the water, three massive leats were
constructed. One, the Great Leat, mistakenly marked on present day
maps as an 'old canal,' fed a water-wheel 40' x 12' erected in a
pit near Blanchdown Farm that pumped water from three shafts at
Wheal Maria and Wheal Josiah. Altogether the Tamar powered 33
wheels on the mine. The mine employed around 1,300 people.
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The high dividends paid to the shareholders
contrasted with the poor wages received by the miners and the
1860s and 1870s were characterised by periodic strike action as
they demanded better pay, which were not met as labour was drafted
in from West Cornwall.
Until the 1870s the mine's wealth was derived from
the copper ore taken from the centre of the lode. But fortunately
the copper deposits began to show signs of exhausation at the same
time as a growing demand for arsenic. The mispickel that had been
left virtually untouched was now exploited which prolonged the
mine's life for a further quarter of a century.
Devon Consols was the only mine in Devon and
Cornwall to build and work its own standard gauge railway. It
maintained and partly constructed many of the steam engines and
water-wheels used for pumping and crushing operations. In its
lifetime it returned copper ores with a value of over £3.5
million, as well as arsenic, tin and lead, which brought in
approaching another million.
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The mine closed in
1903 and lay idle for about 12 years until in about 1915
underground mining was resumed at Wheal Fanny for arsenic and at
Wheal Frementor for tin and tungsten. Inspite of the decline in
mining during the post WWI slump in 1921, arsenic production
continued at Wheal Maria, Wheal Frementor, Wheal Fanny (surface
only) and Wheal Anna Maria. Work appears to have ceased in about
1925, although mining at Frementor continued until 1930. Some
copper precipitation occurred in the mid twentieth century, as
well as some ochre recovery and a small mill was erected in 1965
to treat dump ore.
Much of the industrial archaeology that can be seen at the site
today dates from the early twentieth century working, including
two Brunton calciners and some enormous waste tips. The remaining
area is densely wooded. |
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