MineArchiveWheal Sterran
| Location | cliffs west of Tobban Horse, near Porthtowan, Cornwall — 50.2760, -5.2360 (approximate) |
|---|---|
| Commodity | Tin |
| Type | Metal |
| Worked | early 20th century–1927 |
| Maximum depth | No reliable depth figure has yet been located. |
| Status | Researched |
Overview
An early-20th-century tin working on the cliffs west of Tobban Horse near Porthtowan, part of the Wheal Lushington (West Wheal Towan) amalgamation, briefly reopened in 1927 before being abandoned for good.
History
Wheal Sterran, together with the adjoining Wheal Tye, lies on the cliff to the west of Tobban Horse near Porthtowan, St Agnes. Both were part of Wheal Lushington, also known as West Wheal Towan, itself an amalgamation of a number of small and ancient mining setts along this stretch of Cornish coastline. Wheal Sterran and Wheal Tye's own remains date from the early 20th century: in 1927 the workings were reopened via Vivian's Shaft, and although some fine-grained tin ore was encountered, no further development followed and the attempt was abandoned. The large cliffside waste dump and the remains of old mine buildings, including a square-section stack, survive from this final period of activity.
Workings
Reopened in 1927 via Vivian's Shaft; fine-grained tin ore was found but no further development followed.
Closure
Abandoned after the unsuccessful 1927 reopening attempt via Vivian's Shaft.
What remains
A large cliffside waste dump and the remains of old mine buildings, including a square-section stack, survive from the 1927 working.
A cliffside waste dump and old mine buildings, including a square-section stack.
Abandoned workings can be dangerous — unstable ground, uncapped shafts, flooding and bad air are common even where a site looks safe from the surface. This entry describes history and general location only; it is not an access guide.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- Wheal Sterran and the adjoining Wheal Tye were part of the Wheal Lushington (West Wheal Towan) amalgamation of small, ancient mining setts on the Porthtowan coastline. 1
- Vivian's Shaft was reopened in 1927; fine-grained tin ore was encountered but no further development followed, and a large cliffside waste dump and a square-section stack survive from this period. 2
Photographs & further reading
This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this mine.
Further locality detail on the wider Wheal Lushington amalgamation.
View sourceSources
- (secondary) Wheal Sterran, Wheal Lushington (West Wheal Towan) — Mindat
- (secondary) West Wheal Towan Mine (Wheal Tye) — Cornish Mine Images
Record created: 31 August 2026 · Last researched: 1 September 2026