MineArchiveWheal Wrey
| Also known as | Wrey Consols, Wrey and Ludcott United |
|---|---|
| Location | By the River Tiddy, St Ive, near Pensilva, Cornwall — 50.4730, -4.4034 (approximate) |
| Commodities | Lead, Silver |
| Type | Metal |
| Worked | By 1855–1866 |
| Maximum depth | 130 fathoms (238 m) |
Overview
A silver-lead mine by the River Tiddy near Pensilva, which produced about 5,435 tons of ore and over 100,000 ounces of silver before closing, merged with Wheal Ludcott, in 1866.
History
Wheal Wrey lay in the parish of St Ive, on the eastern of two parallel lodes, with its workings in the south-west corner of the sett by the River Tiddy. It produced lead and silver for about ten years and was for some time managed by Peter Clymo of South Caradon. In 1855 its cost-book company of 4,096 shares declared a dividend of four shillings a share; the purser was P. Clymo junior, the captains W. Hancock and R. Roskelly, and the engineers W. West and Sons. Output peaked in 1856 at 1,064 tons of lead.
By 1861 the mine was failing, and because its closure would have flooded the neighbouring Wheal Ludcott, Ludcott's owners paid £3,450 and amalgamated the two; about 40 people were then employed. In 1863 the engine shaft of the 'North Mine' was being sunk and levels driven, and by the end of that year attention had returned to Wheal Wrey in the hope of new reserves at depth. The amalgamated mine closed in 1866, by which time most of the production came from the Ludcott section. Wheal Wrey had been worked to 130 fathoms and produced about 5,435 tons of lead ore and over 100,000 ounces of silver. Little can be seen apart from the base of its large waste tips.
Geology
The eastern of two parallel silver-lead lodes.
Workings
An engine shaft worked to 130 fathoms.
Closure
Amalgamated with Wheal Ludcott in 1861; the combined mine closed in 1866.
What remains
Little survives apart from the base of the waste tips.
The base of large waste tips.
Redevelopment
Unknown.
Nearby mines
- Wheal Trelawny — 1.4 miles (2.3 km) S
- Glasgow Caradon Consols — 2.5 miles (4.0 km) N
- East Caradon Mine — 2.5 miles (4.1 km) NW
- South Caradon Mine — 2.7 miles (4.3 km) NW
- Gonamena — 2.9 miles (4.7 km) NW
Straight-line distance, within 9 miles (15 km). Show on the map.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- In February 1855 Wheal Wrey, a cost-book company of 4,096 shares in St Ive parish, declared a dividend of 4s. a share; the purser was P. Clymo junior. 1
- Output peaked in 1856 at 1,064 tons of lead. 2
- In 1861 Wheal Wrey amalgamated with Wheal Ludcott, whose owners paid £3,450 because Wrey's closure threatened to flood their workings. 2
- The amalgamated mine closed in 1866. 2
- Over its life the mine produced about 5,435 tons of lead ore and over 100,000 ounces of silver. 2,3
- Wheal Wrey was worked to 130 fathoms. 2
- Plans of Wrey Consols and Wheal Ludcott in silver-lead ore are held in the national mine plan catalogue. 4
Sources
- (secondary) 1856 Mines in Devon and Cornwall — Grace's Guide
- (secondary) Wheal Wrey Mine — Pensilva History Group
- (secondary) Wheal Wrey, Wrey and Ludcott United Mines, St Ive, Cornwall — Albion Fire and Ice
- (primary) BGS mine plan: Wrey Consols and Wheal Ludcott, silver-lead ore — British Geological Survey / Mining Remediation Authority
Record created: 18 October 2026 · Last researched: 18 October 2026