Notes from the archives: Ponsanooth and Kennal Vale. 

Today Kennal Vale is known for one of the best preserved nineteenth-century gunpowder works in the country. Yet a deeper history of extraction and industry has shaped the valley landscape. Wheal Magdalen, tin mine, located a short distance (half a mile?) down river, predated the gunpowder works. Tin extraction and processing had been a feature of the valley since at least the sixteenth century. In 1521 a lease was made to build a new mill house for the `Knockyng, stampyng and crasyng of tyn' within a year. The lessees were entitled to ‘make leats for a watercourse’. But the flow and distribution of water for tin (and corn) was an issue for concern at this early date. A stipulation in the lease made it an offence to ‘divert water from grist or stamping mill’, (ME/1298). Beer and bread were major sources of calories for workers in this period. Three mills in Ponanooth, St Gluvias, ‘blowing, crasing and stamping mills’, were recorded in a lease dated 1582, which included services to the manor of Cosawes, as part of the agreement in return (ME/1070).

References to Magadalen Ball in Cosawes Manor are found in an account for tin dues dating to 1623/4 including ‘washes of tin’ (ME/2620) In 1722 Thomas Odgers, dinner of Stithians, was to have ‘use of all tin waste, tailings and casualties from tin which party 2 raises from Magdalen Ball mine alias Maudlin Ball in St Gluvias, in lands of Richard Edgcumbe, for 7 years.’ He was also “to have use of pair of stamps or stamping mills called the Tucking mill stamps, belonging to party 2, at Pons A Nowth [Ponsanooth], with the water to drive them, and also the use of the burning house at Pons a Nowth.” (ME/2625). 

Accounts survive for expenses for ‘stamps for tin’ at Magdalen Mine in 1730-36 (ME/2634; ME/2631). AND A PLAN (ME/2452 - must look at this!). Shares or ‘setts’ in the tin and copper mine were recorded in 1809 and 1814 (WH/1/2013). By the 1820s, contemporary with the expansion of the gunpowder industry, the mine had almost certainly been abandoned. A reduction in the flow of the river downstream may have been a contributing factor. I would be interested to know more about charcoal production – pressure on wood/timber must have been a thing? A Bond of Indemnity dating to 1826 records the remains of the stamping mill, buddle (where ore was washed), and a burning house where tin was smelted:

“Dwelling house built by Thomas Lugg with toft or old pair of walls formerly a stamping mill called Magdalen Stamps, with waste plot formerly a buddle place; also house formerly a burning house, unenclosed piece of land and decayed grist mill [WH/1/43; see also WH1/40 for grist or corn mill].

One of the earliest entries for manufacturing gunpowder was made in 1808, when the lessees (George Augustus Lingham and Thomas his brother) agreed to build ‘convenient mills’ with ‘magazines and other appurtenances’ necessary for the making of gunpowder (WH/1/50). The location given is Cosawes Wood.

In 1810 the property was leased to Henry Gill for 99 years: Gill was “to erect and build mills for the manufacture of gunpowder within two years, on plot of land part of Cosawes Wood in St Gluvias, and another piece of land adjoining road to Ponsanooth, for turning wood into charcoal for making gunpowder”. Vast quantities of charcoal would have been required both for manufacturing gunpowder and smelting tin. Part of the agreement was made with Frank Nicholls who was to lease ‘half the gunpowder mills; also magazines, storehouses, corning houses, drying houses, dusting houses, and all other erections and buildings, and tools, engines, implements and timber growing for the purposes of charcoal, with carts, horses etc.” The company was to be called 'Gill and Company'.

To come: notes on house building in Ponsanooth ref to the ‘second row’.

https://www.mindat.org/loc-38714.html