Welcome to Levant Mine
Levant Mine is situated in the St Just Mining District, one of the most ancient
hard-rock tin and copper mining areas in Cornwall. Here the majority of
principal sites lie within a well-defined spectacular coastal belt 3.5 miles
long by approximately 1.25 miles wide.
Courtesy of Morrab Library
Copper and tin has been won here for countless generations and miners have even
sunk shafts and driven levels out beneath the ocean bed. These are the world
famous submarine mines.
Walking around Levant is now a peaceful experience, especially in spring when
wildflowers adorn the cliffs. But at the peak of mining the cliff tops would
have reverberated with the noise of crushing machinery and the bustle of
miners, bal maidens and children going about their daily tasks. Many fathoms
underground, and in tunnels out under the sea, miners – often father and son -
toiled to break the ore. Hand drilling shot holes for blasting with gunpowder
and working the narrow ‘stopes’ with hammer and ‘picker’, the work was hard and
dangerous. But mining was the life-blood of the St Just area and hundreds of
families depended on this ancient industry.
|
|
1748 Levant Mine appears on Martyn’s Map |
|
1820 Levant mining company formed with a capital of £400 |
|
1835 Pumping engine supplied by Harvey’s of Hayle |
|
1836 320 men, 44 women, 186 children employed |
|
1840 £170,000 profit made from copper in 20 years |
|
1840 Michell’s whim made by Harvey’s of Hayle |
|
1857 Man engine installed |
|
1892 Mine ponies introduced |
|
1901 New air-compressor installed to supply rock drills and air hoist |
|
1919 Man engine disaster, 31 miners killed |
|
1930 Levant Mine closes |
|
1935 Whim engine saved by enthusiasts from being scrapped |
|
1960s Levant de-watered by Geevor and re-worked for tin |
|
1967 Levant passes into the care of the National Trust |
|
1984-92 Whim restored by the ‘Greasy Gang’ |
|
Geology and Minerals
Simplified geology of the Levant area showing principal rock types and general
direction of the mineral lodes.
Most of the Land’s End Peninsula consists of granite, a coarsely crystalline
igneous rock, formed deep in the earth around 280 million years ago. North-east
from Cape Cornwall dark-coloured slate and volcanic rocks comprise much of the
rugged cliffscape. Within both the granite and these older rocks near-vertical
veins (lodes) containing tin and copper, formed at right angles to the cliffs.
The pursuit of these lodes beneath the bed of the Atlantic Ocean challenged the
skills of the Cornish miner and brought worldwide fame to the St Just Mining
District. Levant Mine and the nearby Botallack Mine were the most successful of
these famous submarine enterprises.
The lodes in
the St Just Mining District were nearly vertical (dipping at 70° to 80°) and
narrow (less than a metre). They often contained mixed ores of tin, copper and
arsenic, with ore grades that were much above the average for Cornish mines.
CASSITERITE
The oxide of tin. The ore grade in St Just mines was often high, the coarsely
concentrated mineral being mined by single-handed ‘stoping’ of the narrow veins
within walls of hard country rock.
CHALCOCITE
This was the principal copper ore in the St Just District and is a rich sulphide
that contains 80% copper metal. This factor helps explain the success of the
coastal copper producers here.
CHALCOPYRITE
This was the commonest copper ore in Cornwall and West Devon, containing 35%
copper.
BORNITE
An important ore, particularly at Botallack, that contains 63% copper.
ARSENOPYRITE
This was the principal ore of arsenic and contains 45% of the semi-metal.
Ore dressing
In addition to miners, Levant employed a large number of men, women and children
at surface. Most of these were involved in the preparation of ore for sale. For
copper and tin ores this was known as ‘dressing’. From the late nineteenth
century arsenic was also sold as a by-product of calcining tin ore.
Copper
In 1836, for example, Levant employed 44 women – known as bal maidens - and 186
children. They worked in open-sided sheds in the labour-intensive hand dressing
of copper ore. Levant had a steam-powered copper ore crusher just to the north
of Skip Shaft and this alleviated much of the hand crushing of lower grade
ores. The ore was shipped from nearby ports to South Wales for smelting. Little
evidence survives of this copper ore dressing activity at Levant.
Tin
Stony tin ore was crushed to sand by steam-powered machinery known as stamps.
The heavy tin oxide (black tin) was then concentrated using water and gravity
methods in conical ‘buddles’, settling tanks and various other apparatus.
‘Black tin’ was sold to tin smelting houses, of which there were several in the
vicinity of Penzance. Tin smelters were often major shareholders in the mine.
There are two principal tin-dressing floors at Levant. One dates from the
nineteenth century whilst the other dates from the 1920s.
Arsenic
Levant’s tin ore contained quantities of arsenic and other metals. ‘Black tin’
was roasted in calciners (ovens) which removed arsenic as a gas. This was then
condensed in flues and collected as a saleable product. There are four
surviving arsenic calciners in the northern part of the mine. The earlier two
date from the 1870s and there is a prominent stack which is sited at the end of
the (now buried) flues.
These remains of tin and arsenic processing are of world significance in the
history of mining.
Levant Mine Self-guided Trail
This trail takes you through an area of high cliffs and mine
shafts. Please take care not to place yourself or others at risk whilst
enjoying the landscape.
The trail takes in the most significant features of the mine, together with some
detours if time and weather permit. Two Cornish engine houses remain at the
core of the mine’s surface complex. They mark the site of the principal shafts
where ore-hoisting and pumping was carried out.
Michell’s Engine House: Beam winding (whim) engine 
In the smaller, roofed, engine house is an all-indoor whim engine built to the
design of Francis Michell in 1840 by Harvey & Company of Hayle. Its purpose was
to raise ore to ‘grass’ (surface), via Skip Shaft, from the deep submarine
workings.
This engine ran continuously for 90 years until the
mine closed in 1930. It is the oldest beam engine in Cornwall and also the
first to be preserved, by the Cornish Engines Preservation Committee in 1935.
Now under the care of the National Trust the engine, restored by Levant’s
‘Greasy Gang’, may be viewed during opening hours and can be seen in operation
on publicised ‘steaming’ days.
Wheelchair access to the first floor (Driver’s floor) of the
Levant Whim is possible via a sloping path to the ramped entrance.
Levant Mine, late nineteenth century
Engine Shaft Pumping Engine House 
In spite of being worked beneath the sea, Levant was a comparatively dry mine
due to the low permeability of the host rocks known as ‘killas’ and
‘greenstone’. This engine house was built in 1835 for a Harvey’s engine which
provided the main pumping power on the mine until 1930.
On the seaward side of the whim engine house is an engine pond 
originally constructed in the 1890s to store fresh water and recently rebuilt
by volunteers.
To the right of it is an overlook into Levant Zawn 
.
This is a steep and narrow cleft eroded by the sea along the mineralised lode.
The portal of the mine adit is just above sea-level and is out of view, but on
the left side of the zawn is the flight of rock-cut steps leading to it.
Levant's Cornish stamps, 1890s
Levant was drained and used by Geevor Mine in the 1960s and
several structures belong to this period:
The black shed, now the video shed 
,
housed a temporary electric winder; the flat-roofed concrete building houses a
ventilation fan and the top of Engine Shaft 
;
the headframe of Skip Shaft 
,
set over the 290 fathom- (530m-) deep shaft, was latterly worked by an electric
winding engine. Recently the electric winder 
has been restored to working order by Levant volunteers. During opening hours
this may be viewed inside the winder house, where tea and coffee are also
available.
Away from the shaft is the clifftop area that was used during the nineteenth
century as a copper ore dressing floor 
.
Bal maidens and children worked in open-sided sheds to break and high-grade the
ore ready for sale.
Levant's inclined tramway, 1890s. Courtesy of Royal Cornwall Museum
Zawn Brinny Inclined Tramway 
Tin ore was hauled in small wagons from an area to the north of Skip Shaft,
through an underground tramway and up an incline to the stamps to be crushed.
Levant Mine Count House 
Ruined walls, fireplaces and segments of coloured tiled floors mark the site of
what was once a grand building that housed the mine offices.
From the main car park you can see circular metal railings a
short way up the road next to a level concrete area that marks the site of the
miners’ dry.
Miners’ Dry and Tunnel 
Here the miners changed into their underground clothes before descending the
spiral staircase to the tunnel leading to Man Engine Shaft. You may descend the
steps and (when open) walk along the tunnel which leads to the shaft.
The Dry, c1900. Courtesy of Royal Cornwall Museum
Man Engine Shaft 
The man engine was installed in 1857 to speed up the transport of miners to and
from the deep workings. Tragically, on the afternoon of October 20th 1919, the
linkage between the rod and the engine broke, sending 31 men to their deaths.
The deeper levels of Levant were never worked again.
On the other side of the road the short chimney stack served the
steam engine that powered the man engine. The shaft top itself is fitted with a
grille for safety and to allow viewing.
Higher Bal 
A short walk from Levant car park to Higher Bal passes small,
granite-walled miners’ fields.
In the vicinity of the engine house a massive retaining wall is associated with
Guide Shaft. V-notches in the structure are ore-passes - chutes down which ore
was tipped into carts that carried it to the stamps. There are two archways in
the wall: the first gives access to Guide Shaft, now grilled to allow safe
viewing; the second leads to steep steps up to the engine house.
Underground in Man Engine Shaft, c 1900
Levant arsenic works and tin-dressing floors 
The track forks beyond the Zawn Brinny tramway tunnel portal. The
left-hand, seaward, track leads to Levant’s arsenic works: the blackened top of
its stack may be seen in the distance.
There are four arsenic calciners in which ore was roasted. A long stone flue
(now buried) carried the hot arsenic-laden gases to the prominent stack.
Arsenic was collected from condensing chambers in this flue.
At the T-junction with the coast path, turn left and descend to
the walled platform area above Trewellard Zawn. From here you can see the
distinctive green splashes of copper staining that mark lode exposures.
Immediately below are the walled remains of the site of water-powered tin
stamps. Returning to the coast path, turn right along the track and head back
in the direction of Levant. Continue in the direction of Geevor Mine, passing
on your left settling tanks that mark the lower end of the 1922 tin mill. The
path then swings right passing large concrete plinths that once supported the
stamping machinery and tall pillars that supported the roof of the mill. The
ore was fed in from a tramway on the high embankment beyond.
Guide Shaft, Higher Bal, early twentieth century
Continue along the footpath.
A path off to the left leads to Geevor Mine, a worthwhile excursion if time
permits. Further along the main track, the remains of Levant’s
nineteenth-century tin-dressing floors may be seen on the right, whilst on the
left are large deposits of red clay, which mark the sites of extensive settling
ponds.
Soon the distinctive tall banded chimney stack and ruined walls of the
compressor house (built in 1901) come into view. This supplied compressed air
to rock drills and other machinery underground.
It later became a power house. Keeping the stamps stack on your right, head for
the compressor buildings, passing them on your left.
The path returns to the main site and car park.
Archive photographs: Courtesy of the Trounson-Bullen Collection
except where otherwise mentioned.
This map is based upon Ordnance Survey material with the
permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s
Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown
copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings.
Cornwall County Council 100019590, 2005.
Wildlife
Much of the ground around Levant has been transformed by mining. The apparent
‘devastation’ of rocky and red silty wastes, and ruined buildings and ponds is
extensive. However, not only does this landscape represent an important
cultural legacy, it also contributes towards the range of wildlife habitats
along this scenic stretch of coast.
Look out for:
| Basking sharks |
Dolphins |
Gannets |
Shags |
Guillemots |
| Kittiwakes |
Oystercatchers |
Razorbills |
Fulmars |
Seals |
| Peregrines |
Maritime heath |
Scurvy grass |
Bracken |
Thrift |
| Sea campion |
Rock samphire |
Gorse |
Silver studded |
blue butterfly |
| Sea beet |
Adders |
Mugwort |
Burnet moth |
Small copper butterfly |
What the Trust is doing
Since the National Trust opened the whim engine to the public in 1993, there has
been an on-going programme of safety, access and conservation works. Undertaken
in partnership with Cornwall County Council, the work was carried out by local
contractors, together with staff and volunteers.
Safety
works
The shafts here have been hedged and fenced or fitted with safety grilles to
maintain their archaeological and ecological importance. Ruined mine buildings
have been made safe.
Conservation
work
In addition to the whim engine, many of Levant’s nineteenth- and early twentieth
century structures have been conserved. These include engine houses and chimney
stacks, the tramway and man engine tunnels, powder magazines and other
important remains. Some 1960s’ buildings have also been included within this
work.
Habitat
restoration
Abandoned mining ground provides varied and special habitats for wildlife.
Important heathland is maintained and wetland habitats have been enhanced
through the restoration of former ponds. Mine shafts, such as Man Engine Shaft
and Guide Shaft of Higher Bal, have been fitted with bat-friendly grilles.
Access
Wheelchair access to the driver’s floor of the whim engine house has been
provided together with new pathways. Areas recently opened to visitors include
the spiral staircase and tunnel to Man Engine Shaft.
Events
A programme of events includes regular steaming of the whim engine, guided
history tours and walks around the site, and periodic exhibitions and
workshops.
Contact: Levant Mine 01736 786156
Location: OS Explorer Map 102 SW368346
By foot: South West Coast Path passes mine entrance
By bus: Penzance to Pendeen (contact Traveline on 0870 6082608 or
www.traveline.org.uk
By train: 7 miles from Penzance station
By road: 1 mile west of Pendeen on B3306 St Just - St Ives road
Separate designated disabled parking. Wheelchair access path on slope. Building:
access available to driver's floor and external workings only.
Braille guide. Sensory list.
Other sites to visit in the area
Botallack - National Trust mining heritage and interpretation
site OS Explorer Map 102 SW 364336
Geevor Mine (not National Trust) - mining heritage museum OS
Explorer Map 102 SW 375347
Pendeen Lighthouse - Trinity House OS Explorer Map 102 SW
379359
Acknowledgments
This self guided trail was produced by the St Just Heritage Area Regeneration
Project - funded by the European Regional Development Fund, South West Regional
Development Agency, Cornwall County Council, the National Trust, Penwith
District Council, St Just Town Council, Pendeen Residents Association, Cornwall
Wildlife Trust and others. For further information on the St Just Heritage Area
see www.landsendarea.co.uk
www.landsendarea.co.uk
www.nationaltrust.org.uk