Wheal Langford

Overview

A silver mine in Callington parish, about a mile from the town, first worked as Wheal St Vincent before 1824. Amalgamated with neighbouring setts as the East Cornwall Silver Mines in 1835, it was reworked as Wheal Langford from 1848 to 1856 and tried again as New Langford in the 1880s. Its engine house, listed Grade II, is now a house.

History

Wheal Langford lies in the Mill Leat valley in Callington parish, about a mile from the town. It opened before 1824 as Wheal St Vincent and was also called Wheal David, and the sett took in several small mines: Wheal David, Wheal Mercer, Wheal Emily, Wheal Georgiana, Wheal Mexico and Wheal Virgin. Langford's lode was worked to the west by Wheal Mexico, which produced a good deal of chlorargyrite, silver chloride.

In 1835 the mines were amalgamated as the East Cornwall Silver Mines, with most development at Wheals Mexico, Georgiana, David and Virgin. At Mexico the silver-bearing part of the lode was about 15 centimetres wide in a lode of 35, and Wheal Virgin was raising ore at 50 ounces to the ton. The mines closed in 1837, and their 80-inch pumping engine was sold to the East London Waterworks for £7,600.

Working was renewed for the third time in 1848 under the name Wheal Langford. Small parcels of argentiferous galena were raised, but the richest silver ores had already gone, and the mine closed in 1856 after being developed to 40 fathoms below adit; a 64-inch pumping engine, a 12½-inch rotary engine and two horse whims were then offered for sale. As New Langford it was tried again in 1884-90.

Geology

A silver-bearing lode, with chlorargyrite at Wheal Mexico and argentiferous galena in the later working; the silver-rich part of the lode at Mexico was about 15 cm wide in a lode of 35 cm.

Workings

An engine shaft with the stoped ground mostly to its west, worked to 40 fathoms below adit; a pumping engine house with a chimney to the south-west, and an earlier engine house to the south.

Closure

Closed in 1837 when the East Cornwall Silver Mines failed, and again in 1856 when the rich silver ores proved to be worked out; the New Langford trials of the 1880s came to nothing.

What remains

The engine house has been converted to a private house; it was listed Grade II in 1985.

The three-storey rubblestone engine house with brick arches and its chimney; an earlier engine house to the south, overgrown.

Redevelopment

The engine house is now a private dwelling.

What's uncertain

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

• It was last worked as New Langford in 1884-90. (disputed) ¹
• Trials as New Langford took place in 1884-86. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• The mine opened before 1824 as Wheal St Vincent. ^1,2
• In 1835 it was amalgamated with neighbouring mines as the East Cornwall Silver Mines. ¹
• After the mines closed in 1837 their 80-inch pumping engine was sold to the East London Waterworks for £7,600. ¹
• Working was renewed as Wheal Langford in 1848 and continued until 1856. ^1,2
• In 1856 a 64-inch pumping engine, a 12½-inch rotary engine and two horse whims were offered for sale. ²
• It was last worked as New Langford in 1884-90. (disputed) ¹
• Trials as New Langford took place in 1884-86. (disputed) ²
• The mine is about a mile from Callington. ³

Photographs & further reading

Sources

1. (secondary) NMRS: Wheal Langford — Northern Mine Research Society
2. (primary) Historic England list entry 1329416: Wheal Langford, Callington — British Listed Buildings (Historic England list entry)
3. (secondary) Grace's Guide: Wheal Langford — Grace's Guide to British Industrial History
4. (primary) BGS / Mining Remediation Authority mine plan: Langford New (silver and copper ores) — British Geological Survey

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