Surface Mining Gazetteer - Morwellham Down - Lodes 1-5

Lode 1 - Gawton South Lode

NGR:

Largely in fields now, this lode is known underground from the late 19th century Gawton AMR. Slight surface disturbances are visible on the 1946 RAF APs in the fields north of Gawton Farm. Occasional surface disturbances continue the line as far as the B3257 road. This may be the same lode as that worked at Little Duke Mine in the Tavy Valley, 900m to the east.

Lode 2 - Bedford Consols Main Lode, Gawton Middle Lode

NGR:

Lodeback pits and short openworks straddle the Maddacleave Carpark to Gawton track and continue across the fields to the north-east, where slight surface disturbances can still be seen. This lode may also be the one worked at Little Duke.

Lode 3 - Wheal Tool, Bedford Consols North Lode, Gawton North Lode

NGR: (possibly as far as

Worked as Wheal Tool 1803-21, Bedford Consols North Lode c.1810-1852, and Gawton North Lode 1852-1908. Mentioned in 1850s Gawton sett lease (DRO), this appears at surface as a line of lodeback pits crossing the forest drive between Maddacleave Carpark and Gawton. The pits are large, running into each other in places and pass just north of the site of Old Gawton engine shaft in the higher wood, extending east to the main road south of Orestocks Cross in a beech plantation.

Lodes 4 & 5 - Names & dates unknown

NGR:

Two intermittent east-west lines of small lodeback pits in upper wood between Maddacleave carpark and Old Gawton engine shaft. No disturbances can be seen to the east on the 1946 RAF APs.