Wheal Jenkin

Overview

A small tin mine on the northern slopes of Caradon Hill at Minions, taken up in 1824 and worked briefly by the Cornwall Great United Mining Association in 1836-37. Marke Valley Consols reopened it in 1881, moving engines from Marke Valley, but it closed in 1890. Its two engine houses and a chimney are listed.

History

Wheal Jenkin lies just outside Minions village on the northern slopes of Caradon Hill, in Linkinhorne parish. The sett was taken up in 1824 and first worked by adits and shallow shafts.

In 1836 the London-based Cornwall Great United Mining Association took it in hand. In October that year a 36-inch engine was erected to drive 40 heads of stamps and to pump, by flat rods, from Wheal Jenkin and the neighbouring Wheal Prosper shafts, while 21 heads of water stamps were built for the association's ore. The venture failed the next year with heavy losses.

In the 1870s the sett passed to the Marke Valley adventurers, and in 1881 it was reopened for tin by Marke Valley Consols Mines Ltd. The old Whim shaft became Bellingham's shaft, and a 36-inch engine from Marke Valley drove a growing battery of stamps. In 1886 a new engine house was built at Bellingham's for a 70-inch pumping engine, from Marke Valley by one account and from Holman's shaft at South Caradon by another. Between 1872 and 1890 the mine sold 388 tons of black tin, but it never paid, and it closed in 1890; seven engines were put up for sale.

Geology

Two lodes worked for tin.

Workings

Bellingham's (formerly Whim) shaft to 117 fathoms, with Crease's, Pink, Bullock's, Engine and Adit shafts; a 70-inch pumping engine at Bellingham's, a 36-inch stamps engine driving up to 48 heads, an 18-inch horizontal whim and other whim engines.

Closure

The 1830s working collapsed with heavy losses after a year; the Marke Valley reworking of the 1880s failed to make a profit, and the mine closed in 1890 with its engines sold.

What remains

Two engine houses and a chimney survive beside footpaths outside Minions, listed Grade II in 1987. The stamps engine's chimney collapsed when an old shaft opened beneath it.

The tall granite pumping engine house at Bellingham's shaft, the ruined stamps engine house, a round rubble chimney and the dressing-floor area.

Redevelopment

Unknown.

Related mines

• Marke Valley Mine — Worked together by Marke Valley Consols Mines Ltd from 1881, with engines moved from Marke Valley to Wheal Jenkin.
• Phoenix United Mine — Both were worked in 1836-37 by the Cornwall Great United Mining Association, whose Wheal Jenkin engine also pumped the Wheal Prosper shafts later part of Phoenix United.
• South Caradon Mine — By one account the 70-inch engine erected at Wheal Jenkin's Bellingham's shaft in 1886 came from Holman's shaft at South Caradon.

What's uncertain

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

• The 70-inch engine erected at Bellingham's shaft in 1886 came from Holman's shaft, South Caradon. (disputed) ¹
• The 70-inch engine erected at Bellingham's shaft in 1886 came from Marke Valley. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• The Wheal Jenkin sett was taken up in 1824. ^1,2
• The Cornwall Great United Mining Association worked the mine in 1836-37 and erected a steam engine to work 40 heads of stamps. ^1,2
• In 1881 it was reopened as part of Marke Valley Consols Mines Ltd and Whim shaft was renamed Bellingham's. ^1,2
• The 70-inch engine erected at Bellingham's shaft in 1886 came from Holman's shaft, South Caradon. (disputed) ¹
• The 70-inch engine erected at Bellingham's shaft in 1886 came from Marke Valley. (disputed) ²
• The mine closed in 1890. ^1,2
• From 1872 to 1890 it produced 388 tons of black tin. ²
• Its two engine houses and chimney are listed Grade II. ³

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) NMRS: Wheal Jenkin — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (secondary) Explore Cornwall: Wheal Jenkin — Explore Cornwall
3. (primary) Historic England list entry 1140498: Wheal Jenkin group of 2 engine houses and one chimney, Linkinhorne — British Listed Buildings (Historic England list entry)
4. (observational) Derelict Places: Wheal Jenkin, Caradon, Cornwall — Derelict Places
5. (secondary) iWalk Cornwall: Wheal Jenkin — iWalk Cornwall

Record created: 11 October 2026 · Last researched: 11 October 2026