Details

The monument includes part of the mining complex at Wheal Grenville and East Grenville Mines, situated to the south east of Camborne and north of Troon. The surface structures include two engine houses with associated shafts, chimneys and other ancillary buildings. The northern engine house, associated with Fortescue's Shaft, survives to full height, although roofless, and is made of local stone, with brick on the upper stages of the associated chimney. It is rectangular in plan measuring 12m long by 8m wide and up to 15m high, with a bob wall to the south and a circular tapering chimney at the north east corner. It has several round headed windows on different levels and narrow, square headed doorways. The low remains of a boiler house measuring 21m by 15m also survive. The engine house was built in 1892 to house a 90 inch cylinder pumping engine. Parts of the engine were removed in 1922 and installed at South Crofty Mine. The northern engine house is Listed Grade II (66612).

The southern engine house housed the winding engine or whim. It survives as a rectangular-plan roofless building measuring 8.8m long, 5.7m wide and 12.5m high built of stone with brick to the upper stage of its associated tapering cylindrical chimney. The bob wall is to the north and the chimney attached at the south west corner. It has round headed windows and doors. The loadings at the front of the house remain in place, along with vestiges of the boiler house and parts of the foundations to the winding drum. It housed a 28 inch cylinder double-acting winding engine. The winding house is Listed Grade II (66612).

The earliest mine workings in the area were called Poling and are recorded in the 1790's. Wheal Grenville Mine produced both tin and copper and first operated in 1845. In 1859 the eastern section formed a separate mine known as East Wheal Grenville but this was abandoned and absorbed into Wheal Grenville by 1877. By 1906, following amalgamation with South Condurrow and part of West Wheal Frances it became Grenville United Mines. This was taken over by Condurrow Mines Ltd in 1910 and the mine finally closed in 1920. Between the years 1860 and 1920 the mine produced 30824 tons of black tin and 2329 tons of copper.

Further archaeological remains survive in the vicinity some of which are scheduled separately.

Sources: HER:-
PastScape Monument No:-425781, 1473407 and 1473413

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Tin and copper mining were of immense value to Cornwall, in terms of its economy, social and political development and the effects on the population. The dependence on technology for deep mining ventures produced some of the most characteristic buildings, tall elegant and distinctive with their associated chimneys they are strongly associated with the Cornish landscape still. The importance of these buildings, the surface 'tip of the iceberg' in terms of physical remains related to this vital and important industry most of which is hidden form view beneath the surface provides a visible focus for this important element of Cornwall's past which influenced not only local but world history with migrations of both the mining technology and the miners. The part of the mining complex at Wheal Grenville and East Wheal Grenville Mines 210m north west of Newton Moor Farm survives well and will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to the development of this vital industry in the area.

Source: Historic England