Wheal Polmear

Overview

A 'bunchy' copper mine a mile east-south-east of St Austell, worked at intervals from 1814 to 1908, which also raised zinc, pyrite and arsenic ores and took in South Polmear.

History

Wheal Polmear lay about a mile east-south-east of St Austell, between the town and the Crinnis mines of the Par coast. It was chiefly a copper mine but also raised ores of lead, silver, zinc and iron, and its sett took in South Polmear. It was worked from 1814 to 1856, from 1858 to 1869 and again from 1897 to 1908. Spargo, writing in 1865, dated the mining to 1842, with a new company taking over about ten years later.

The early finds promised much, but the copper ran in short-lived rich bunches, and the miners called it a 'bunchy' mine. Though shallow, it gave fair returns, and the company preferred to try shallow points rather than sink deeper; a new water-wheel for pumping was put in on the eastern side, where the prospects looked best. In 1864 it sold 753 tons of copper ore and 88 tons of pyrite for £3,933. Between 1856 and 1900 Polmear returned 6,459 tons of copper ore at 8 per cent, 77 tons of zinc ore, 1,733 tons of pyrite, 64 tons of arsenopyrite and five hundredweight of black tin; South Polmear added copper and lead ores and 150 ounces of silver. The abandonment plan of Polmear, with its Gewans and James workings, is dated 1864.

Geology

Copper lodes rich in short-lived bunches, with ores of lead, silver, zinc and iron, pyrite and arsenopyrite.

Workings

Shallow workings with a pumping water-wheel on the eastern side; shafts named on the plan include Gewan's and James's.

Closure

Worked in three phases, 1814-1856, 1858-1869 and 1897-1908; the plan of Polmear, Gewans and James was lodged as abandoned in 1864.

What remains

Unknown.

What's uncertain

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

• Spargo dated the mining to 1842, with a new company taking over about ten years later. (disputed) ¹

Recorded claims

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

• Wheal Polmear was worked from 1814 to 1856, from 1858 to 1869 and from 1897 to 1908. ¹
• Spargo dated the mining to 1842, with a new company taking over about ten years later. (disputed) ¹
• Its copper occurred in short-lived rich bunches, and the miners called it a 'bunchy' mine. ¹
• Between 1856 and 1900 it returned 6,459 tons of copper ore, 77 tons of zinc ore, 1,733 tons of pyrite and 64 tons of arsenopyrite. ¹
• The abandonment plan of Polmear, with the Gewans and James workings, is dated 1864. ²

Sources

1. (secondary) Wheal Polmear (Buddlepit Mine Database) — Buddlepit
2. (primary) BGS mine plan: POLMEAR GEWANS JAMES, tin and copper ores, abandoned 1864 — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority

Record created: 21 October 2026 · Last researched: 25 October 2026