Wheal Unity

Overview

The largest of the short-lived copper mines in Mullion parish on the Lizard, remembered for masses of native copper, one sheet of which was shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

History

Wheal Unity, also called Goosecroft or Ghostcroft, lay to the south of Mullion Churchtown near Mullion Cove, and was the only serious mining venture on the Lizard. Copper mining in the parish is first mentioned in a deed of 1741, and the workings went by a number of names: Ghost Croft, Goosecroft, Predannack Wartha, South Wheal Unity, Trenance and Wheal Providence. One account dates the mine from the early 18th century and has it operating until 1919; another says Wheal Unity opened in 1847 and that copper mining in Mullion had ceased by the end of the 19th century.

The mine was known for its native copper. A sheet of native copper found in 1847, weighing over 700 kg, was exhibited at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, and one piece raised at the mine, 7 feet 6 inches long and weighing about three tons, was preserved at the museum of the Geological Survey. Even so, no deposit of copper on the Lizard ever yielded a profit, and the parish's copper mining was insignificant beside the rest of Cornwall. The mine buildings have gone, but an adit can still be seen in Mullion Cove.

Geology

Native copper.

Workings

Unknown.

Closure

Never profitable; copper mining in Mullion had ceased by the end of the 19th century.

What remains

The mine buildings have disappeared.

An adit in Mullion Cove.

Redevelopment

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.

• Wheal Unity (or Goosecroft), south of Churchtown, opened in 1847. (disputed) ¹
• Wheal Unity operated from the early 18th century to 1919. (disputed) ²

Recorded claims

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

• Copper mines in Mullion parish are first mentioned in a deed of 1741 and went by several names, including Ghost Croft, Goosecroft, Predannack Wartha, South Wheal Unity, Trenance and Wheal Providence. ¹
• Wheal Unity (or Goosecroft), south of Churchtown, opened in 1847. (disputed) ¹
• Wheal Unity operated from the early 18th century to 1919. (disputed) ²
• A native copper sheet from Wheal Unity, found in 1847 and weighing over 700 kg, was exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition. ¹
• One piece of copper raised at the mine was 7 feet 6 inches long and weighed about three tons; it was preserved at the museum of the Geological Survey. ²
• No deposit of copper on the Lizard ever yielded a profit. ²
• The mine buildings have disappeared, but an adit can be seen in Mullion Cove. ¹

Sources

1. (secondary) Mullion, Cornwall — Wikipedia
2. (secondary) Wheal Unity Mine, Cornwall (Mullion) — Cornwall Calling

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