Engine House And Associated Ruins At Sw572314, Tindene Mine

The remains of a disused beam engine house and associated structures date to circa 1887, located at Tindene Mine. The engine house is constructed primarily of granite ashlar for the bob wall (the substantial wall supporting the engine’s beam) with granite and elvan rubble walls and granite dressings, featuring round-headed brick arched openings. Its rectangular plan is defined by a thicker bob wall on the north side and a round-plan chimney clasping the south-west corner. A bearing wall adjoins the northeast corner, and a rectangular boiler house stands a short distance to the southeast.

The interior floors, roof, and original machinery have been removed, leaving a three-story structure over a basement. The north bob wall features a central round-headed ground floor opening with granite voussoirs. The second-floor weatherboarding and gable are missing. The opposite, south gable end wall has a large central ground floor opening and openings to each floor above. Side walls are punctuated with openings to each floor, one in the middle of the first floor, with others regularly spaced to the left and right. Most of these openings are spanned by round-headed brick arches, except for one ground floor opening to the left of the west wall, which has a timber lintel. The tapered rubble chimney has a brick upper stage.

Whim-wheel bearing walls, overlooking the shaft on the left side of the bob wall, feature dressed granite blocks with sockets and drill holes for iron reinforcing rods, some of which remain in situ. A triangular depression is present on the opposite side of the shaft.

The boiler house is built of red killas with brick dressings, featuring a round-headed opening at the north end, with remnants of openings in the east and south walls.

The mine operated unsuccessfully from 1887 to 1892. The engine house was built to house a third hand beam pumping engine with a 60-inch cylinder, originally constructed by Perran Foundry in 1852. In 1911, the engine was moved and its cylinder was increased to 65 inches and relocated to Sara's Shaft at Wheal Kitty, St Agnes.

The engine house is situated within a scenic wooded setting and retains considerable evidence of the associated machinery.