Stamps Engine House To West Basset Stamps On North Wheal Basset Sett At Sw 687 402

This is a derelict stamps engine house, part of a former tin ore dressing plant associated with the West Basset Mine on the North Wheal Basset sett. Built in 1874, it's constructed from uncoursed granite rubble with bob walls made of granite blocks, and brick arches to the windows. The roof is now absent. The building sits on a raised terrace overlooking the former dressing floors. It has a rectangular plan oriented north-west/south-east, with the principal bob wall facing south-east. The engine house has three stages and features round-headed openings, including a driver's window in the bob wall and a large cylinder door on the north-east side. The thick rear wall contained a smaller beam opening for a secondary engine that pumped water. In front of the bob wall, altered load-bearing features remain from former flywheels. The engine house was built when West Basset Mine took over the northern section of the former North Basset Mine and originally housed a 40-inch cylinder engine powering two banks of 32 stamps. A further 16 stamps were added in 1877, and a secondary beam pumped recirculated water from the bottom of the dressing floors. It is a very prominent building on the site, and likely unique in Cornwall.