# The Lost Port of New Quay - Tamar Valley - An Explore from October 1985



## jhluxton (Oct 15, 2017)

The photographs from this explore are 32 years old - however - they have only just been scanned as part of a project to scan all my slide images. 

Located around one mile from the well-known Morwellham Quay,near Tavistock, Devon New Quay is a small once industrial abandoned hamlet and intensive mining port on the steep, winding banks of the River Tamar in Devon. 

New Quay was formerly an important copper, tin and later arsenic port serving the local mines including the George and Charlotte Mine, Bedford Consolidated Mine and Gawton Arsenic Mine. 

Since July 2006 New Quay is within the World Heritage Site that is the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape. 

The village was abandoned in the early 20th century and became very overgrown with quite large trees. I first visited New Quay shortly before the Mine Tramway was constructed along the river side pathway from Morwellham Quay in the late 1970s. 

It was very difficult to make out most of the structures and I did not take any photographs. 

During 1984 / 1985 the vegetation was cleared to reveal the quite substantial quay and building remains, I paid a visit again in October 1985 to photograph the site. 

As yet I have not returned but reports indicate that in 2008 work was begun to halt New Quay's further decay: many of the buildings being stabilised and repaired and much of the undergrowth was cut back.





View of Newquay from the road which leads down from the Morwellham - Gulworthy road. The large stone construction being the lime kilns and retaining wall.





A view of the side of the incline plane which linked the quayside tramways to the top of the lime kilns.





The lime kilns - on the left is the track of the inclined plane narrow gauge railway which provided access to the top of the kilns from the quayside.





The top of the lime kilns looking up the Tamar Valley towards Morwellham Quay. The roots of one of the many large trees which grew on the site still clings to the masonry.





The North Quay looking towards Morwellham. Granite ship mooring bollards similar to those to be seen at Morwellham can be seen in the distance. The road continues to George and Charlotte Mine which is part of the Morwellham Quay Museum.





The remains of the New Quay Inn can be seen on the right, with the lime kilns in the back ground with a steam engine of unknown origin. 





Remains of the New Quay inn which was quite a substantial structure.





The remains of the stove cast by "J & ? PEARCE" at the New Quay Inn.





The blacksmith's house





My catalogue of images indicates these to be terraced cottages but on reflection these buildings look more like warehouses. The larger opening perhaps giving access to the upper floor by hoist.





Remains of the quayside tramway included rails and a wagon turntable in situ. Track leading to the incline plane would have exited the turntable on the right for access to the top of the lime kilns.

Click here for the full gallery: http://www.jhluxton.com/The-35mm-Fi...gy-British/New-Quay-A-Lost-Tamar-Valley-Port/


John


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## wolfism (Oct 15, 2017)

That's very interesting, thanks - I enjoy scanning old slides as they often reveal somewhere you'd completely forgotten. Out of interest, which film were these shot on - my guess is Agfachrome or Ektachrome?


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## Electric (Oct 15, 2017)

I'm reading through some 1980s railway magazines at the moment and there was a mention of this project and finding the rails in one.
Fascinating stuff John. Thanks.


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## jhluxton (Oct 15, 2017)

wolfism said:


> That's very interesting, thanks - I enjoy scanning old slides as they often reveal somewhere you'd completely forgotten. Out of interest, which film were these shot on - my guess is Agfachrome or Ektachrome?



Actually whilst I mainly shot Agfachrome at this time, these are actually on Peruz Chrome CT100 - by then Perutz film was just rebranded Agfachrome but was returned in green and white rather than black and white Agfa mounts.

John


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## jhluxton (Oct 15, 2017)

Electric said:


> I'm reading through some 1980s railway magazines at the moment and there was a mention of this project and finding the rails in one.
> Fascinating stuff John. Thanks.



I don't think that much has happened at New Quay since. Although I stay quite nearby on holiday a couple of times each year I have not revisited New Quay and have not been to Morwellham since the original preservation trust went bust and the site was taken over as a commercial tourist attraction by the Bicton Gardens operators.

I think it was always intended that Newquay would be conserved and made available as part of Morwellham but nothing seemed to happen.

John


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## wolfism (Oct 16, 2017)

Thanks for the info, I loved Agfa RSX and would still shoot with it if they still produced it…


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## prettyvacant71 (Nov 29, 2017)

Great slides! The exposure is not as forgiving as film so lovely job


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## Dirus_Strictus (Nov 30, 2017)

The red 'steam engine' is a portable steam operated winch - probably in this location used to power a ropeway that moved the wagons over the kiln mouths and then moved the product filled wagons away. Could also be used to lift product from deeper mines where a fixed winch was not needed. They were also used to lift injured miners to the surface in some recorded instances.


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## jhluxton (Dec 10, 2017)

Dirus_Strictus said:


> The red 'steam engine' is a portable steam operated winch - probably in this location used to power a ropeway that moved the wagons over the kiln mouths and then moved the product filled wagons away. Could also be used to lift product from deeper mines where a fixed winch was not needed. They were also used to lift injured miners to the surface in some recorded instances.



Would not have been used for the lime kilns as the tramways associated with the were powered by waterwheel both at New Quay and nearby Morwellham. There are some excellent diagrams of the arrangements for this in the recently published book on the Tavistock Canal which served Morwellham and New Quay Lime Kiln had a similar operating method. However, its possible use on a mine does seem a possibility. Thanks John


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## jhluxton (Dec 10, 2017)

Following an enquiry posted to the Adit Now forum - the vertical boiler steam winch appears to have been built by Robey in the early 20th Century. It worked at a china clay pit at St. Austell being owned locally, and though it remains onsite nearer the George and Charlotte Mine, it is an intended restoration project when the owner gets around to it!


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