A post-medieval lead mine in Laxey. The Great Laxey Mine was worked for lead, zinc, silver and copper from around 1782 until closure in 1929 (with residual working of spoil continuing to about 1934), and consisted primarily of three main shafts - the Welsh Shaft, Dumbell's Shaft and the Engine Shaft - linked by a series of levels reaching a depth of over 2,200 ft (670 m). By 1833 it employed more than 200 men and was, for a time, extremely profitable, with its ore including a galena specimen that holds the world record for the largest sulphide crystal by both volume and mass, now on display at the Natural History Museum, London. The mine's pumping was powered by the Laxey Wheel (the "Lady Isabella"), built during the mine's period of greatest prosperity. A fire in the Welsh Shaft in March 1904 was safely contained, but an accident in December 1904 killed four miners who fell into a flooded sump; they were buried at Lonan Churchyard.
The site of a modern turbine house. A power station which housed a water turbine is located at this location. It provided additional power to the power station upstream (PRN 2373.30).
The turbine house was served by a 380 metre race drawing water from the tail race serving the larger power station upstream. The race is now incomplete, having been breached by floods and riverine erosion 160 metres above the turbine house.
The site of a modern water mill. A suspected water mill is shown on the Ordnance Survey First Edition mapping of 1869 at this location; its purpose is not clear.
It was served by a short race running 140 metres upstream. The OS mapping also shows a tail race extending 190 metres downstream, exiting into the harbour below the bridge. It is not clear if this also served the later turbine house, or whether the latter had a shortened tail race rejoining the river close by. The tail race is now largely obscured, but its line can be picked up intermittently.
The site of a modern tail race. The Ordnance Survey First Edition mapping of 1869 shows a mill race extending 190 metres downstream from a suspected water mill (PRN 2374.30), exiting into the harbour below the bridge at the grid reference provided.
It is not clear if this race also served the later turbine house, or whether the latter had a shortened tail race rejoining the river close by. The tail race is now largely obscured, but its line can be picked up intermittently, and its exit is still visible.
The site of a modern turbine house. A power station which housed a water turbine is located at this location. It provided additional power to the power station upstream (2373.30). The turbine house was served by a 380 metre race drawing water from the tail race serving the larger power station upstream. The race is now incomplete, having been breached by floods and riverine erosion 160 metres above the turbine house.
The turbine house stands on the site of a suspected water mill which is shown on the Ordnance Survey First Edition mapping of 1867. The mill's purpose is not clear. It was served by a shorter race running 140 metres upstream. The mapping also shows a tail race extending 190 metres downstream, exiting into the harbour below the bridge. It is not clear if this also served the later turbine house, or whether the latter had a shortened tail race rejoining the river close by. The tail race is now largely obscured, but its line can be picked up intermittently.
The site of a modern mill race. A mill race extended 380 metres from this point to a turbine house located further down the valley (PRN 2374.10) which provided additional power to the adjacent power station (PRN 2373.30). The race is now incomplete, having been breached by floods and riverine erosion 160 metres above the turbine house.
