Great Work Mine facts for kids
Great Work Mine (Leeds Engine House)
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| Location | |
|---|---|
 Great Work
Location in Cornwall
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| Location | Great Work |
| County | Cornwall |
| Country | UK |
| Coordinates | 50°07′40″N 5°21′55″W / 50.1279°N 5.3654°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Copper, Lead & Tin |
| History | |
| Opened | 1538 |
| Closed | 1939 |
The Great Work Mine was an important mine in Britain. It is located in Cornwall, a county in the UK. You can find it between two hills, Godolphin and Tregonning, in a small village called Great Work. The mine is famous for its unique chimney stack, which has a special design.
The mine's ruins are high up, about 400 feet (122 meters) above sea level. They are part of a special area called the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape. This area is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its historical importance. Today, the National Trust looks after the mine site. It is part of the larger Godolphin Estate, which also includes Godolphin House.
History of the Mine
The Great Work Mine started operating a very long time ago, by the year 1538. A famous historian named John Leland visited the mine. He said that there were no bigger tin mines in all of Cornwall than those on Sir William Godolphin's land.
By 1584, at least 300 people worked at the mine. It made a profit of about £1000 each year, which was a lot of money back then! Until 1816, miners mostly dug for minerals near the surface. They also used shallow pits.
Deep Mining Begins
Deep mining began at Great Work Mine in 1816. This type of mining continued until 1873. During this time, the mine dug into five different mineral veins, called lodes. It used five large steam engines to help with the work. At its busiest, the mine employed about 500 people.
In January 1885, the mine was put up for sale. Even though there were still minerals to be found, the mine needed new machines and money to keep going. If it wasn't sold, it would have to close.
The Mine's Final Years
The Great Work Mine officially closed in 1930. However, some miners kept working in the upper parts of the mine. In the mid-1930s, people tried to reopen the mine. They pumped out the water that had filled the lower tunnels. This process is called "dewatering."
Despite these efforts, the plan to reopen the mine was stopped. The Great Work Mine closed permanently in 1939. During this period, a row of 26 houses was built on Bal Lane for the miners and their families.
Today, only a small part of the mine's original buildings remains. The photo shows the engine house on the far left, which is called the Leeds shaft. This is almost all that is left of the mine's structures. In 2005, the Leeds shaft engine house was repaired and restored. For safety, this shaft and another one called Burnt Whim were covered with metal grates. These grates also help protect bats that might nest inside the shafts.
