Pump Engine House To Chappel'S Shaft Of Old Cook'S Kitchen Mine At Sw 664 405

The pump engine house for Chappel's shaft of the Old Cook's Kitchen Mine is a derelict structure that dates from the early to mid 19th century. It is built from uncoursed granite rubble with quoins and features a bob wall made of dressed granite blocks. The building has a rectangular shape aligned on a north-south axis, with the bob wall located at the southern end. It consists of three stages and includes a round-headed driver's window in the bob wall, which is adorned with granite voussoirs and a keystone. There are various square-headed windows with wooden or granite lintels, including a larger window or door in the rear wall, where the masonry beneath has collapsed, along with two small beam holes situated above this window. The front and rear walls are supported by tie-plates and straps. Historically, Cook's Kitchen mine was one of the earliest in the region, known for copper mining since the early 18th century, and it was also one of the deepest, reaching depths of 3000 feet. The mine was highly profitable but closed in 1913. The pump engine house is part of a prominent group that includes a detached chimney to the north and a winding engine to the east.