Dear Peter,
The reason I asked was that while in the Devon Record Office the other day, I found a piece of paper (yes, paper), calling itself a warrant for a lease of Mines Royal in Tavistock, Lewannick and South Petherwin, described in a note on the back as being 'for our Lord Russell', but actually made out to Richard Myller. It was signed 'James Roy' (I think this is actually James I, the King) and 'Richard Weston', and dated 10th March 1624. It doesn't actually mention what sort of metal was to be mined, but I am guessing tin or copper or both, as none of these parishes are associated with silver-lead as far as I am aware.
Does this cast any further light on the matter?
Robert
> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:34:37 +0000
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Mines Royal
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> At 14:19 17/12/2009, Robert Waterhouse wrote:
> >Does anyone know anything about the leasing of tin mines to private
> >individuals by the Society of Mines Royal in Devon & Cornwall in the
> >1620s? Some book references would be handy.
>
> Tin was not included in the Crown monopoly granted in perpetuity to
> Thurland and Hochstetter in 1564, and later taken up by the Society,
> that covered copper, silver, gold and quicksilver (ie mercury). From
> time to time, prior to the 16th century, the Crown had included tin
> in grants of mines royal but they could not be sustained. If the
> Society was granting leases of tin mines in the 17th century then
> they must have acquired them by other means and, I must admit, I'm
> not aware of them working mines outside their monopoly rights.
>
> Do the leases mention tin or are they of mines which we might
> associate with tin production today but, at that date, were primarily
> copper producers?
>
> Peter
>
>
>
> Dr Peter Claughton,
> Blaenpant Morfil, nr. Rosebush, Clynderwen, Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66 7RE.
> Tel. +44 (0)1437 532578; Fax. +44 (0)1437 532921; Mobile +44 (0)7831 427599
>
> Hon. University Fellow - School of Humanities and Social Sciences
> http://huss.exeter.ac.uk/archaeology/staff/claughton.shtml
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> Co-owner - mining-history e-mail discussion list.
> See http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/files/mining-history/ for details.
>
> Mining History Pages - http://www.people.exeter.ac.uk/pfclaugh/mhinf/
>
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