Hingston Down Consols Mine

Hingston Downs Consol Mine was opened for copper in 1846 although tin had been exploited here a century before. Is in the township and parish of Calstock, it is situated 3.5 miles from Callington. The nearest shipping place is at Calstock quay, 2.5 miles from the mine, and the nearest railway station is Plymouth, 17 miles from the mine.

The mine struck rich in 1850 and in 1864 employed 225 people.

By the middle of the 1870s the mine was 172 fathoms deep, however work tailed off after this time, concentrating on the eastern section but was wound up in 1885.

In 1900 the mine was worked with Clitters United Mines and between 1905 and 1908 in its own right again.

During 1850 to 1880 the mine produced 4 tons of tin concentrate and 64,440 tons of copper ore, in 1878 about 37 tons of mispickle while during the period 1905-9 it produced 250 tons of tin concentrate, 200 tons of arsenic and 146 tons of tungsten ore.

The mine is being held under a lease of 21 years at a royalty of 1-18th granted by the Duchy of Cornwall to W A THOMAS, T MORRIS, and others. in 1872

• The country is Granite and clayslate, and the dip west; the cleavage of the clayslate is west.
• The known lodes on the sett are 10; the north lode runs east and west, and dips north in the fathom 2 feet: it consists of caple,spar, grossan, copper and tin ores; the middle lode runs east and west, and dips north in the fathom 2 feet; it consists of same components, with less ore, and other lodes not worked. There are many cross-courses, composed of spar and granite.
• There have been four shafts sunk. The western shaft is sunk 50 fathoms, and a level driven about 65 fathoms west. There are the following shafts sunk: Morris's to a depth of 130 fathoms, Hitchins to a depth of 75 fathoms, Baileys to a depth of 145 fathoms, and levels driven there from; being being the 20, 30, 45, 55, 75, 85, 100, 110, 120, 130, and 140 fathom levels: these levels have been driven east and west from the different shafts from 60 to 120 fathoms, and winges driven in different parts where required. the mine is worked and drained by a steam engine of 50-inch cylinder, with 10 inch pumps.
• There is a combines cylinder (equal to a 30-inch cylinder), drawing and crushing engine.
• The minerals found in this sett include copper and tin.
• This mine is now worked principally for copper ore; great quantities of copper ore have been returned from this mine, the average monthly sales being 300 tons.
• The company is on the costbook system, and consists of 6,000 shares, with £6 4s paid, representing a capital of £25,200; the dividends declared up to September, 1872 were £23,400

P;purser and Manager Captain James RICHARDS of Devon Great Consols
Captain Thomas RICHARDS on the mine
Secretary T B LAWS
The London Offices are at 22 Great St Helens

Trevithick Society, Hingston Down Consols

Callington Mines