In checking references on Wheal Friendship I was unable to find a definite
location for a 45 ft wheel, but thought it might have been from one of the
later workings of the mine after John Taylor & Sons left, particularly as
the Pearces were heavily involved up untill 1898. Published sources on
these workings include those written by the late John Robins (Dartmoor
Magazine 18) and Elisabeth Stanbrook (Plymouth Caving Group newsletter Sept
2004) & there is much unpublished material. I suspected the wheel could
have been for the 1880's working on Bennetts'lode, which established
sources indicates was pumped by a wheel near Brenton's Shaft. However mss
reports state this was a 40ft wheel (possibly wrong? - ?the 45ft?), but the
length of flatrods given is wrong & the 1883 OS suggests a possible
dressing or winding waterwheel on that site. That OS map does show a wheel
at South Wheal Friendship which I had always had assumed was nothing to do
with Wheal Friendship. However plans of surface details shown on a plan by
Henderson & Son of Truro dated 1899 indicate two bob pits at Bennett's
Shaft which had always puzzled me, one aligned on the Brenton's Shaft wheel
and one to the south. The latter would suggest it was worked by the wheel
at South Friendship with the correct length of flat rods, and to the east
the map shows a structure which would be in the right position for the
neccesary angle bob. I had noted a building or structure there from the
adjoining footpath without previously realising its significance, & it is
shown on the present 1:25,000 OS.This wheel was therefore almost certainly
the 1880's pumping wheel, sometime before 1899 replaced by a the wheel at
Brenton's.
A few days ago we checked the sites out. South Friendship wheel
(SX50927849) is in the grounds of Mary Tavy power station, & from the
adjoining footpath it appears the site has been dug out to accomodate a
corrugated iron building. This would probably have destroyed any evidence
of the size of the pit; we hope to get permission to check this in future.
The wheelpit was still shown on 1950's editions of the 1:2500 OS.
The turnbob for this wheel, SX 5097 7851 can be seen from the footpath, but
needs permission to enter the field to see properly. This is a substantial
building-like structure with one wall curved to take the arc of the bob.It
appears to have been roofed. Exactly what level the rods were on we have
not yet ascetained - they could have been in a culvert, which would require
some excavation to ascertain, but that is just speculation at present.
There are other substantial turnbob structures for changes in direction on
lines of flat rods at William & Mary, Devon & Courtenay, & Bagtor
(demolished)but this one is far more complex. Does anyone know any others
remaining? I can only recall seeing anything quite so substantial in Devon.
The Brenton's wheelpit (5086 7936) is well known (being illustrated in
Richardson's Mines of the Tamar Valley & Dartmoor, Northern Mines Research
Society) but I had never seen the size of this wheel. Measuring the pit
shows the wheel can have been no larger than 30ft diameter. This was built
on the site of the dressing or winding wheel mentioned above. This pit is
in excellent condition, the first lengths of flat rod (with the wheel crank
connection) remaining in position.
In summary the 45ft wheel may have been that at South Friendship, & I would
stronly recommend visits to the above locations which are all close to
public footpaths.