MEM23840 - Wheal Fenwick, east of Luccombe (Monument)

In December 1853, Sir Thomas Dyke Acland granted a 21 year lease to search for iron ore on Knowle Hill to James Fenwick of Blackfriars, London, and Philip Harris, a mine agent of Wootton Courtenay. This was known as Wheal Fenwick.

Iron ore was known to be present in Luccombe parish by 1791 and it is possible that the ore extracted was used at the iron mill in Horner Wood. James Savage visited Luccombe in 1828 and noted that mining had taken place there by some Welsh adventurers, on the large hill to the east of the church. Land on the hill belonged to Sir Thomas Dyke Acland and Francis Worth of Wychanger; it was on the latter's side that mining took place. This may or may not have continued through to December 1853, when Sir Thomas Dyke Acland granted a 21 year lease to search for iron ore on Knowle Hill to James Fenwick of Blackfriars, London, and Philip Harris, a mine agent of Wootton Courtenay. Trials were to commence within 12 months and the working of it was to continue for as long as the ore could be raised to advantage. After 18 months, the two discontinued working and levelled over the site and despite various attempts at negotiations between Harris and a Mr Stanton and Mr Gregory, it does not appear that further licences were granted for activity here. This part of the site became known as Wheal Fenwick. The site of the mine is depicted on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map. [1,2]