Tankerville lead mine had a brief but intense career. In the 1860's Heighway Jones discovered an enormously rich pipe vein of galena. By 1876, Watson's shaft with its magnificent Cornish beam pumping engine house was producing ore. At 515m it was the deepest shaft in the orefield.The ornate octagonal brick chimney served the boilers of the two steam winding engine houses.
Whilst the shaft was being sunk, a Fowler steam engine was installed in an underground chamber. This had its own 347m long chimney to the surface!
Rising costs and falling prices led to the mines closure in 1884, after less than 20 years of prosperity.
The buildings at Tankerville are listed monuments and in 1995 conservation work started which involved digging out the unstable shaft top and constructing a new concrete shaft collar and cap. The new works can be seen through these arches which lead from the mine buildings to the shaft. NGR SO 355 995
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