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Virginia Wood

Wood, Forest in Cornwall

England

Virginia Wood

Parkandillick Cornish engine - the cockpit This is the area below the driving position of this 1852 built 50" Cornish beam pump. In the background is one of the cataracts that uses water being forced through an adjustable orifice to time the pauses between strokes. In the centre is the bottom of the plug rod that operates the valves and sets the cataracts between strokes. On the right is a weight box that will operate to open one of the engine's three valves under the influence of gravity. Cock is an older term for a valve and this is the origin of the modern word cockpit (true or bluff). There are not too many pictures of this area on a Cornish engine to be found.
Parkandillick Cornish engine - the cockpit Credit: Chris Allen

Virginia Wood is a picturesque woodland area located in Cornwall, England. Covering an expansive area, the wood is known for its abundant natural beauty and diverse wildlife. It is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts, hikers, and photographers alike.

The wood is characterized by its dense vegetation, primarily consisting of oak, beech, and ash trees, creating a lush and vibrant canopy. The forest floor is covered in a carpet of ferns, mosses, and wildflowers, adding to the enchanting atmosphere of the wood. The vibrant colors of the changing leaves during autumn make it a particularly stunning sight.

Several walking trails wind their way through Virginia Wood, allowing visitors to explore its various nooks and crannies. These paths provide opportunities to discover hidden streams, charming bridges, and captivating viewpoints. Along the way, visitors may encounter a variety of wildlife, including deer, foxes, badgers, and numerous bird species.

The wood offers a tranquil and peaceful setting, making it an ideal place for relaxation and contemplation. Nature lovers can enjoy the serene ambiance, listening to the soothing sounds of birdsong and rustling leaves. The wood also provides a habitat for rare and protected species, contributing to its ecological significance.

Virginia Wood is easily accessible, with parking facilities and nearby amenities. It is a gem of Cornwall's natural landscape, offering a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the beauty of the British countryside.

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Virginia Wood Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 50.364864/-4.9035458 or Grid Reference SW9355. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Parkandillick Cornish engine - the cockpit This is the area below the driving position of this 1852 built 50" Cornish beam pump. In the background is one of the cataracts that uses water being forced through an adjustable orifice to time the pauses between strokes. In the centre is the bottom of the plug rod that operates the valves and sets the cataracts between strokes. On the right is a weight box that will operate to open one of the engine's three valves under the influence of gravity. Cock is an older term for a valve and this is the origin of the modern word cockpit (true or bluff). There are not too many pictures of this area on a Cornish engine to be found.
Parkandillick Cornish engine - the cockpit
This is the area below the driving position of this 1852 built 50" Cornish beam pump. In the background is one of the cataracts that uses water being forced through an adjustable orifice to time the pauses between strokes. In the centre is the bottom of the plug rod that operates the valves and sets the cataracts between strokes. On the right is a weight box that will operate to open one of the engine's three valves under the influence of gravity. Cock is an older term for a valve and this is the origin of the modern word cockpit (true or bluff). There are not too many pictures of this area on a Cornish engine to be found.
Parkandillick beam engine - St Austell governor An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. Because Cornish engines are non-rotative and do not have a crank and connecting rod to mechanically constrain the stroke length, they rely on exactly the right amount of steam being admitted that matches the load and keeps the stroke to the correct length. Most engines of this type relied entirely on the engine driver adjusting the governor valve by hand but in the St Austell clay district there was a development of this automatic governor (the engine driver still needed to be close at hand with his wits about him). This detected an increase or decrease in the stroke length and automatically decreased or increased the quantity of steam admitted by adjusting the length of the governor valve rod. You can forget the mogadon tonight if you've read this far!
Parkandillick beam engine - St Austell governor
An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. Because Cornish engines are non-rotative and do not have a crank and connecting rod to mechanically constrain the stroke length, they rely on exactly the right amount of steam being admitted that matches the load and keeps the stroke to the correct length. Most engines of this type relied entirely on the engine driver adjusting the governor valve by hand but in the St Austell clay district there was a development of this automatic governor (the engine driver still needed to be close at hand with his wits about him). This detected an increase or decrease in the stroke length and automatically decreased or increased the quantity of steam admitted by adjusting the length of the governor valve rod. You can forget the mogadon tonight if you've read this far!
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine 50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This was a picture of the top chamber with the indoor end of the beam before the stairs became even softer and the roof was damaged by high winds. The beam was a replacement by Holman Bros of camborne in 1928. The engine ceased work in about 1955. Its removal was just in time, as the air pump and condenser had already fallen down the unstable shaft and part of the engine house followed not long after the engine's safe removal. The remainder of the house was then quickly demolished. There is now only one engine in situ 'in the clay' - that at Parkandillick.
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine
50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This was a picture of the top chamber with the indoor end of the beam before the stairs became even softer and the roof was damaged by high winds. The beam was a replacement by Holman Bros of camborne in 1928. The engine ceased work in about 1955. Its removal was just in time, as the air pump and condenser had already fallen down the unstable shaft and part of the engine house followed not long after the engine's safe removal. The remainder of the house was then quickly demolished. There is now only one engine in situ 'in the clay' - that at Parkandillick.
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam engine 50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This is a view of the bottom chamber with the driver's position and the cylinder behind on the right. The 'gearwork' is typical three arbor gearwork with a double plug rod and cataracts for pauses on the indoor and outdoor strokes. The engine has a single perpendicular pipe connecting the two ends of the cylinder.
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam engine
50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This is a view of the bottom chamber with the driver's position and the cylinder behind on the right. The 'gearwork' is typical three arbor gearwork with a double plug rod and cataracts for pauses on the indoor and outdoor strokes. The engine has a single perpendicular pipe connecting the two ends of the cylinder.
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine. 50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This is the middle chamber showing the top of the steam cylinder with the false cover and the metallic packing for the piston rod. Beyond that is the top nozzle box with the governor, steam inlet and equilibrium valves. Above, one can see parts of the parallel motion with the plug rod descending beyond the top nozzles to operate the valve gear. This was in the days when the staircase was just strong enough to allow access to the higher levels. On a later visit I was restricted to the lower chamber.
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine.
50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This is the middle chamber showing the top of the steam cylinder with the false cover and the metallic packing for the piston rod. Beyond that is the top nozzle box with the governor, steam inlet and equilibrium valves. Above, one can see parts of the parallel motion with the plug rod descending beyond the top nozzles to operate the valve gear. This was in the days when the staircase was just strong enough to allow access to the higher levels. On a later visit I was restricted to the lower chamber.
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine 50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This is a close up of the middle chamber with the valve box to the right and the plug rods operating the valve gear to the left. Between are the rods and operating levers for the governor, steam and equilibrium valves. The device with the ratchet and bevel gears is the St Austell governor. This is a safety feature that closes the governor valve if the engine stroke length begins to increase. It is, however, defenceless in the face of a catastrophic failure - eg the main pump rod parting.
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine
50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This is a close up of the middle chamber with the valve box to the right and the plug rods operating the valve gear to the left. Between are the rods and operating levers for the governor, steam and equilibrium valves. The device with the ratchet and bevel gears is the St Austell governor. This is a safety feature that closes the governor valve if the engine stroke length begins to increase. It is, however, defenceless in the face of a catastrophic failure - eg the main pump rod parting.
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam engine 50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This is outside the front of the engine house over the shaft leading to the bottom of the claypit. On the right is the large timber main pump rod. To its left is a disconnected auxiliary pump. Then further left is the rotten wooden cistern holding the condenser (hidden) and the air pump that is worked off the beam. Above and behind the airpump is the boiler feed pump and then above and behind that is the 'plug door' into the lower chamber of the engine house. Some years later the condenser cistern and its contents slipped down the shaft. Following removal of the engine, part of the house went the same way (the people who removed this engine were dicing with death) and the remainder was demolished immediately after. This is an overall view of the front of the house - <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/478355">SW9455 : Goonvean China Clay works</a> <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/629788">SW9455 : Cornish engine, Goonvean</a>
Goonvean China Clayworks - Cornish beam engine
50" Cornish beam engine of 1863 by Harvey & Co of Hayle. Installed 4th hand in 1910. Dismantled by Century millwrights in September 2008 and placed in store. It is hoped that it may be re-erected in a proposed project in Hayle. This is outside the front of the engine house over the shaft leading to the bottom of the claypit. On the right is the large timber main pump rod. To its left is a disconnected auxiliary pump. Then further left is the rotten wooden cistern holding the condenser (hidden) and the air pump that is worked off the beam. Above and behind the airpump is the boiler feed pump and then above and behind that is the 'plug door' into the lower chamber of the engine house. Some years later the condenser cistern and its contents slipped down the shaft. Following removal of the engine, part of the house went the same way (the people who removed this engine were dicing with death) and the remainder was demolished immediately after. This is an overall view of the front of the house - SW9455 : Goonvean China Clay works SW9455 : Cornish engine, Goonvean
Parkandillick Clayworks - Cornish beam engine An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. This is the top chamber with the indoor end of the cast iron beam and the parallel motion. The main bearing for the beam is at bottom right and lacks a top cap as all the forces are downwards. The beam carries the maker's name - Sandys, Vivian & Co, Hayle.
Parkandillick Clayworks - Cornish beam engine
An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. This is the top chamber with the indoor end of the cast iron beam and the parallel motion. The main bearing for the beam is at bottom right and lacks a top cap as all the forces are downwards. The beam carries the maker's name - Sandys, Vivian & Co, Hayle.
Parkandillick Clayworks - Cornish beam engine An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. This view is from the bob-plat looking straight down between the two cast iron sides of the beam. On the right is the main pump rod actuated by the engine and raising china clay slurry from the bottom of the clay pit. To its left is the wooden cistern that holds the air pump. To the left of the air pump is the smaller feed pump that sits on top of the condenser. The door is the 'plug door' and gives access to the condenser area from the bottom chamber of the engine house.
Parkandillick Clayworks - Cornish beam engine
An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. This view is from the bob-plat looking straight down between the two cast iron sides of the beam. On the right is the main pump rod actuated by the engine and raising china clay slurry from the bottom of the clay pit. To its left is the wooden cistern that holds the air pump. To the left of the air pump is the smaller feed pump that sits on top of the condenser. The door is the 'plug door' and gives access to the condenser area from the bottom chamber of the engine house.
Parkandillick clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. This is the middle chamber with the 50" cylinder in the middle and the piston rod ascending to the beam above. Beyond the cylinder is the top nozzle box with the governor, steam and equilibrium valves. The big round beam at the top of the frame is the anchor point for the parallel motion radius rods. This is also braced to the bob wall.
Parkandillick clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine
An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. This is the middle chamber with the 50" cylinder in the middle and the piston rod ascending to the beam above. Beyond the cylinder is the top nozzle box with the governor, steam and equilibrium valves. The big round beam at the top of the frame is the anchor point for the parallel motion radius rods. This is also braced to the bob wall.
Parkandillick Clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. This is a view of the bottom chamber with the driver's position and the cylinder behind on the left. The 'gearwork' is typical three arbor gearwork with a double plug rod and cataracts for pauses on the indoor and outdoor strokes. The engine has a single perpendicular pipe connecting the two ends of the cylinder. There is a delicate chain holding the bottom (exhaust) handle down and this would be released to start the engine. The engine is worked by hand for several strokes until the vacuum is stable and the stroke length has settled down. It is then put on the cataracts and becomes self-acting, although the driver is never far away.
Parkandillick Clayworks - Cornish beam pumping engine
An 1852 built Cornish beam pumping engine at a clay pit. It was moved here in 1912 and stopped work about 1955. It is preserved and can be operated with low pressure compressed air produced by a large fan exhausting into the boiler. This is a view of the bottom chamber with the driver's position and the cylinder behind on the left. The 'gearwork' is typical three arbor gearwork with a double plug rod and cataracts for pauses on the indoor and outdoor strokes. The engine has a single perpendicular pipe connecting the two ends of the cylinder. There is a delicate chain holding the bottom (exhaust) handle down and this would be released to start the engine. The engine is worked by hand for several strokes until the vacuum is stable and the stroke length has settled down. It is then put on the cataracts and becomes self-acting, although the driver is never far away.
Burthy china clay quarry and trig point Since the photo was taken the quarry has been extended and the trig point lost, see <span class="nowrap"><a title="http://trigpointinguk.com/trigs/trig-details.php?t=1801" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" href="http://trigpointinguk.com/trigs/trig-details.php?t=1801">Link</a><img style="margin-left:2px;" alt="External link" title="External link - shift click to open in new window" src="https://s1.geograph.org.uk/img/external.png" width="10" height="10"/></span>
Burthy china clay quarry and trig point
Since the photo was taken the quarry has been extended and the trig point lost, see LinkExternal link
Imery's Dry Mining Processor China clay production was shifted from HP water to dry mining techniques a few years ago. The kaolinised granite is fed into the £6 million mill. This shows the end part of the mill with the sand buckets, cylone pumps (remove mica) and gravel conveyor.
Imery's Dry Mining Processor
China clay production was shifted from HP water to dry mining techniques a few years ago. The kaolinised granite is fed into the £6 million mill. This shows the end part of the mill with the sand buckets, cylone pumps (remove mica) and gravel conveyor.
Imery's Dry Mining Processor China clay production was shifted from HP water to dry mining techniques a few years ago. The kaolinised granite is fed into the £6 million mill. This shows the end part of the mill with the sand buckets, cylone pumps (remove mica) and gravel conveyor. <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3411280">SW9355 : Imery's Dry Mining Processor</a>
Imery's Dry Mining Processor
China clay production was shifted from HP water to dry mining techniques a few years ago. The kaolinised granite is fed into the £6 million mill. This shows the end part of the mill with the sand buckets, cylone pumps (remove mica) and gravel conveyor. SW9355 : Imery's Dry Mining Processor
Parkandillick Beam Engine The drivers position; the engine was started using compressed air and ran rather well. The 50 inch cylinder is seen in the background.
Parkandillick Beam Engine
The drivers position; the engine was started using compressed air and ran rather well. The 50 inch cylinder is seen in the background.
Parkandillick - Boiler A railway style stationary boiler <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2672059">SK3155 : Leawood Pump, Cromford - the boilers</a>.
Parkandillick - Boiler
A railway style stationary boiler SK3155 : Leawood Pump, Cromford - the boilers.
Parkandillick - Steam Winch A steam winch used for hauling items out of the clay pits. Complete with boiler. <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3693401">SW9456 : Parkandillick - Boiler</a>] Davey, Paxman of Colchester.
Parkandillick - Steam Winch
A steam winch used for hauling items out of the clay pits. Complete with boiler. SW9456 : Parkandillick - Boiler] Davey, Paxman of Colchester.
Parkandillick - Steam Winch See <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3693401">SW9456 : Parkandillick - Boiler</a>
Parkandillick - Steam Winch
See SW9456 : Parkandillick - Boiler
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Virginia Wood is located at Grid Ref: SW9355 (Lat: 50.364864, Lng: -4.9035458)

Unitary Authority: Cornwall

Police Authority: Devon and Cornwall

What 3 Words

///accented.launch.owner. Near St Stephen, Cornwall

Nearby Locations

Virginia Wood Burgotha Wood

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