Polbream Point

Cadgwith Cove

A fishing boat landing at Cadgwith Cove

A fishing boat landing at Cadgwith Cove

Fishing boats, Cadgwith Cove

Cadgwith

Maurice D Budden

Boat, tractor and fishing gear, Cadgwith

Narrow road in Cadgwith, Cornwall

Grade - Ruan Church of England School

Old Serpentine Works, Poltesco

The ruins of the serpentine factory - with the pilchard tower on the end, taken from the pebbly beach at Carleon Cove.

Trevor Harris

Public Footpath sign, Trerice near Ruan Major

Chimney Stack .. all that remains

The Poltesco Serpentine Works was initially powered by a water wheel feed by a leat from the Poltesco Valley stream. Then as technology moved on the machinery in the works was powered by a steam engine. The tall chimney shown in the old photos of the Lizard Serpentine Company's works is no longer standing and all that remains is one small section which is shown in this photograph. SW7215 : Derelict Serpentine Works at Carleon Cove

Water-wheel pit (remains)

In the early days of the serpentine rock processing works on this site the power for the machinery came from a water-wheel. The water came from the nearby stream containing rain water which came as run-off from the high lands of Goonhilly Downs. The water was fed from the stream along in a leat and then finally delivered to the overshot water-wheel by means of an overhead wooden channel known as a launder. The iron framed wheel was 25 feet in diameter. It had wooden buckets and was made locally in Helston. The wheel was located on a substantial wooden framework over a deep pit. The pit in which it ran is now the only element of the water-wheel which remains and that is overgrown with vegetation including trees as shown in this photograph. The used water was then channelled to return to the Poltesco valley stream which flowed out to sea. The stream is to the right of photograph. SW7215 : Poltesco Valley stream reaches the beach

Poltesco Valley stream reaches the beach

This photograph shows a number of features of this quiet and delightful cove. Quiet now, but not in the period around 1860s when this would have been a noisy and busy industrial site creating wonderful features pieces for the grand homes and London shopfronts of the Victorian era. Just visible right of centre and hidden by vegetation is the site of the 25 foot diameter water-wheel. SW7215 : Water-wheel pit (remains) On the right on the edge of the stream can just be seen the stone quay for barges to dock alongside the serpentine works to collect the stone items produced by the works and transport them out to waiting sailing ships. Finally, the effects of the powerful easterly winter storms can be seen in the foreground. Masses of large and small stones have been washed into Carleon Cove to create a bank blocking the mouth of the river as it flows out of the Poltesco valley onto the seashore and on out to sea. SW7215 : View from the quay at Carleon Cove

View from the quay at Carleon Cove

The small stone quay in the foreground is where the delicate serpentine products from the Lizard Serpentine Company's works were loaded onto barges for delivery to ships anchored off shore. SW7215 : Poltesco Valley stream reaches the beach The photos shows the stream from the Poltesco valley looking more like a lake. The reason is that it is held back from flowing directly out to sea by the build-up of storm driven pebbles on the seashore.

Wall - Local Serpentine Stone used for building

This photo shows the great variety of serpentine rocks used in the building of what was the home of the manager of the Lizard Serpentine Company's stone works at Carleon Cove, Poltesco. SW7215 : Owner's House for Serpentine Quarries and Factory The many of the rocks in the Lizard area are special, but not unique. They have come from the mantle deep below the earth's surface. Some 350 million years ago a mass of molten rock burst up from within the earth's mantle and picked up all sorts of different rock types on its passage to the surface of the earth. Then later, due to movement of the tectonic plates, this same rock was subjected to even more heat and pressure resulting in a rock we see today which varies in colour, texture and patterning. This rock, called 'serpentine' can now be seen in outcrops all around the Lizard. Some of the rock is suitable for turning on a lathe or for being sculptured into delicate ornaments the best know being a lighthouse shaped ornament. Such ornaments sold mostly as tourist souvenirs are made locally by a handful of craftsmen. There are only few craftsmen left from what years ago was a flourishing serpentine industry of the Victorian period. The stone not suitable for decorative work was used in ordinary buildings as shown in this photo. SW7216 : Lighthouse ornament created from serpentine rock SW7215 : Water-wheel pit (remains)

Lighthouse ornament created from serpentine rock

An example of the traditional lighthouse ornament created from the local rock known as serpentine. There are currently (2011) only five craftsmen and one young apprentice creating such ornaments.

Derelict Serpentine Works at Carleon Cove

On the ground it is not difficult to trace out the walls of the old industrial buildings, but from this photograph it looks very much overgrown. By comparing this photo with an old postcard of the site, it is possible to identify the part of the works where the steam engine was housed and which would have had a tall stone chimney. In this photo the site of the steam engine house is at the back in the very shadowy area and there you can just detect all that remains of the fallen chimney. For a closer look at all that remains of that tall chimney go to the following link. SW7215 : Chimney Stack .. all that remains