South Crofty Mine Surface 5: This page is looking at the South Crofty site as it declined over the years after closure.
In late February 2013 Cornwall County Council undertook the renovation of the iconic headframe over New Cooks Kitchen Shaft, this was completed by October of the same year. During 2013/14 the site was also cleared, the old mill was demolished along with much of the old mine’s infrastructure.
The huge ore bins which had dominated the landscape for so many years were finally broken up by January 2014. Nothing has really looked the same again, now a road crosses the old mine splitting the surface area in half.
The images start in around 2010 and progress gradually to 2015, so I have put them in the best order that I can.
South Crofty Mine Surface 5.1 – A view of the two huge fine ore bins at South Crofty Mine. Taken from the bridge over the Red River on Chapel Road. Many years after closure the wind has stripped off many of the metal panels.South Crofty Mine Surface 5.2 – Sluices which would have carried mine water down to the Red River.South Crofty Mine Surface 5.3 – A close image of the mill, the ore bins are on the right.South Crofty Mine Surface 5.4 – Always dangerous to enter, after being abandoned for so long the mill had really started to deteriorate.South Crofty Mine Surface 5.5 – A final image of the site from the Red River Valley.
The following images show just how close houses are to the workings. The ore bins dominated the local skyline for nearly 50 years.
South Crofty Mine Surface 5.6 – The headframe and ore bins taken from East Hill.South Crofty Mine Surface 5.7 – The view of the site from South Roskear Terrace.South Crofty Mine Surface 5.8 – Walking up North Roskear Road gave an amazing perspective.South Crofty Mine Surface 5.9 – I found a great vantage point at Pavilion Park, this captures the site so well.South Crofty Mine Surface 5.10 – In my opinion the best image of the site on “South Crofty Mine Surface 5”. I was so pleased with this, captured the old bal perfectly.
The following images are taken at a later date during 2013. The headframe has been covered to protect the workers from the elements. Also by this time initial demolition had commenced on the processing mill.
Cornish Mine Images 5.11 – The headframe is totally encased in its covering. Demolition of the mill has also commenced.Cornish Mine Images 5.12 – Another image of the mill, by this time anything of any value had been stripped out for scrap.Cornish Mine Images 5.13 – Much of the Red River Valley had been cleared in preparation for the new road scheme.Cornish Mine Images 5.14 – The ore bins with the shrouded headframe behind.Cornish Mine Images 5.15 – The fine ore bins, the site of the proposed road leads directly through them.Cornish Mine Images 5.16 – The completely gutted mill, the road foundations can be clearly seen.Cornish Mine Images 5.17 – Taken from Dundance Lane the old main access to the mine.Cornish Mine Images 5.18 – The fine ore bins, all the cladding at the top had been blown away by the wind.Cornish Mine Images 5.19 – Heavy machinery parked up on this side ready to continue demolition of the mine buildings.Cornish Mine Images 5.20 – The covered headframe and the remaining mine buildings.
The headframe lost the covering shroud in October 2013, these were taken during 2014 of the finished iconic structure.
Cornish Mine Images 5.21 – The newly completed headframe all bright and clean covered in the new paint job.Cornish Mine Images 5.22 – A close image of the Sheave wheels at the top of the structure.Cornish Mine Images 5.23 – The headframe is essentially 2 in 1, it was served by two winders both using the same shaft, both North and South winders had different jobs.Cornish Mine Images Surface 5.24 – A final image in the set, taken in the morning on a tripod has helped to get a clear photograph.
This is the last section of this page. These were taken during 2015 whilst wandering around the perimeter fence and local area with Tracy.
Cornish Mine Images 5.25 – Without the ore bins the view from this angle is really not the same.Cornish Mine Images 5.26 – Looking across from Roskear towards the cleared South Crofty site, this was before the road had been completed.Cornish Mine Images 5.27 – The headframe from the rear of the site.Cornish Mine Images 5.28 – The building close to the camera houses the Alamack lift in Old Engine Shaft. Cornish Mine Images 5.29 – A final view of the site, it has always been very special to me.Cornish Mine Images 5.30 – A view of the Tuckingmill Decline Portal, taken during 2015. At this time there were only weekly inspections underground.
