Herb Riddle's photos with the keyword: Wheal_Coates

Another chance to see this iconic Cornish tin mine. We are on our way down the twisty coastal path to the lower part you can see here where we will walk further along the ‘South West Coastal Path’ towards Chapel Porth. Its windy and the waves are quite choppy as can be seen. See PiP for one of my earlier photos and descriptions of this mine. Best viewed full screen

We will miss you here in Ipernity Andy, and the Cornish coastline has also lost a dear friend. RIP ******************************************************************************************************** The earth below Cornwall is full of natural metals, especially near the coast. Here we see my favourite old Tin Mine, revisited after 35 years. The paths you see here are part of the ‘South West Coast Path’ and are a delight to follow through natural and man-made history. “Earliest records indicate a mine at the site since 1692.The present mine opened in 1802 and was closed in 1889 when the price of tin fell. It came into full production in 1815. Flooding and bringing ore to the surface were the main problems of the mine until steam-driven equipment was available, as the mine's underground operations extended for some distance under the sea. The mine was sold in 1844 and thereafter allowed to flood. A new owner reopened the mine in 1872 but work was sporadic until its 1889 closure. For some years, the yield was 20lb of tin per ton of ore. In 1906, new ownership hoped to work the mine for both tin and copper. Wheal Coates had produced a small amount of copper ore, more than a century earlier.At the height of its production, 140 people were employed at the site to mine a seam of tin just below sea level but this and a subsequent period of operation from 1911-1913 were not very successful because tin production was sporadic. The mine was closed for good in 1914. Wheal Coates is now part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.” (WiKi) See adjacent photo for alternative and historical views. Enjoy full screen.

A chance to compare the same scene taken almost 35 years apart. The left photo is my original slide conversion as seen on our dear old Panoramio, posted in 2008 but taken c 1986. The right hand side was taken last week, ie October 2021. Looking at the composition and viewpoint of these, it looks to me that my skills have waned over the years :) but the scene has not. See next photo for a more modern look and historic description. This is especially for our Ipernity friend Andy Rodker who knows this Cornish St Agnes Head coast and mine intimately. It is my wish that he will one day soon, walk these paths again after his recent illness. Essential full screen.