Return of Random Mine of the Day : Adit near Latcheyplain, possibly part of Wheal Benny

I almost fell into this mine today as I went blundering past it on a little-used path, so I thought I would resurrect my Random Mine of the Day.



This is a particularly mysterious Random Mine, because I can't find it in the Cornwall and Scilly Historic Environment Record.

There are a couple of shafts and an adit recorded quite a way further down the hill near Latcheyplain ford, but nothing at quite this location. I briefly played with the idea that I had rediscovered it, perhaps because the heavy rain had caused a fall that had unblocked it, but I don't think that can be the case really because it has a hosepipe in it. OK, the hosepipe could have washed down from some shaft further up, but I think the likeliest explanation is that the map pin has got misplaced in the HER database and that someone has found the adit a handy way of supplying water to the field nearby.

Although if that is the case, it's a bit odd there isn't a gate over it. Most of the adits are gated to stop tourists wandering into them and being abducted by goblins killed by falling stones. I bravely ventured to the mouth of it, and keeping a wary eye for goblins killer rocks, took a photo.

The adit is probably nearest to Wheal Benny mine, which was recorded as active in 1884, working tin, arsenic and wolfram with the help of a waterwheel. Wheal Benny was blessed with what is termed 'an extensive arsenic labyrinth and flue' as well as 4 buddles for black tin preparation.