Polhigey Mine

Overview

A small Wendron tin mine on the moor between Penmarth and Halabezack, worked by streaming and shallow lode mining in the mid-19th century, by a cost-book company in the 1860s and 1870s, and revived in the 1920s until its abandonment in 1930.

History

Polhigey Moor Mine, which included Polhigey Mine, worked lodes on the moorland between Penmarth and Halabezack in Wendron. It appears in the Duchy of Cornwall's accounts for 1853, and in 1850 was described as working by streaming and shallow lode mining. Its main periods of activity, 1862 to 1873 and 1926 to 1928 by Atkinson's account, produced only small quantities of tin. In 1873 Kelly's Directory described Polhigey Moor Tin Mine, four and a half miles from Redruth, as worked by a cost-book company of 1,000 shares on a 21-year Duchy of Cornwall lease from 1873 at a royalty of one-twentieth. The country was granite, with five known lodes running east and west and underlying both south and north; three chief working shafts, two with a 13-fathom level and the third with a 6-fathom level, served a steam rotary engine of 22-inch cylinder driving 16 heads of stamps, and the dressing floors had Borlas's patent buddle. John Tonkin of Pool, Camborne, was purser and manager, with William Harry Tonkin and John Cock as resident agents. The mine was revived in the 1920s: it appears in the official List of Mines for 1923-1932 and repeatedly in the Mining Journal during 1927, and the abandonment plans of its Polhigey No. 1, Painters and Roberts workings are dated October 1930. Some shafts and a few dumps remain near Penmarth.

Geology

Granite country with five known tin lodes (1873) running east and west and underlying both south and north.

Geological setting: Veins and Lodes (well documented example)

Workings

In 1873: three chief working shafts, two with a 13-fathom level and one with a 6-fathom level, a steam rotary engine of 22-inch cylinder driving 16 heads of stamps, and dressing floors with Borlas's patent buddle. The 1920s revival worked the Polhigey No. 1, Painters and Roberts sections.

Closure

Atkinson gives the last period of working as 1926 to 1928; the abandonment plans of the Polhigey No. 1, Painters and Roberts workings are dated 15 October 1930.

What remains

Unknown.

Some shafts and a few dumps near Penmarth.

People

• John Cock · agent, 1873 — Resident agent in 1873.
• John Tonkin · manager, 1873 — Purser and manager in 1873, of Pool, Camborne.
• William Harry Tonkin · agent, 1873 — Resident agent in 1873.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• In 1850 Polhigey Moor Mine was described as working by streaming and shallow lode mining. (uncertain) ¹

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• Polhigey Moor Mine, including Polhigey Mine, worked lodes in the moorland between Penmarth and Halabezack; only small quantities of tin were produced in its main periods, 1862-1873 and 1926-1928. ¹
• In 1850 Polhigey Moor Mine was described as working by streaming and shallow lode mining. (uncertain) ¹
• In 1873 the mine was worked for tin by a cost-book company of 1,000 shares on a 21-year Duchy of Cornwall lease from 1873 at 1/20 royalty; five lodes, three chief working shafts with 13- and 6-fathom levels, a 22-inch steam rotary engine with 16 heads of stamps and Borlas's patent buddle; purser and manager John Tonkin, resident agents William Harry Tonkin and John Cock. ¹
• Polhigey Mine is listed in the List of Mines for 1923-1932 and in numerous Mining Journal reports of 1927. ²
• Polhigey Moor Mine appears in the Duchy of Cornwall's account of income and expenditure for 1853. ³
• The abandonment plans of Polhigey No. 1, Painters and Roberts, for tin ore, are dated 15 October 1930. ⁴

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) Polhigey Mine, Cornwall — Cornwall Calling
2. (secondary) Polhigey Mine (mine directory) — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Polhigey Moor Mine (mine directory) — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (primary) Polhigey No. 1, Painters, Roberts (Mining Remediation Authority abandonment plan OM10248, via BGS catalogue item 21872642) — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

Record created: 18 September 2026 · Last researched: 18 September 2026