Wheal Betsy

After several days with the familiy this week, I was quite looking forward to a walk on Dartmoor. I started out crossing the Willsworthy range, which is often closed during the week when firing is taking place. I then came down off the moor and followed the lanes through Zoar and towards Horndon. I wanted to have a look at the now disused Zoar Bible Christian Church/ Methodist Chapel. I had thought a photo might make a good blip, but unfortunalely the sun was not in the right place. I think the chapel is quite unusual as there is a large monkey puzzle tree by the front entrance. The animal theme here seems quite strong as the country inn a few yards further down the road is called the Elephants Nest. No I didn't make this up!
Climbing back up on to the moor, I decided to walk back via Wheal Betsy. The ancient lead/silver mine here was reopened in 1806. It was worked by water power until 1868, when the engine house shown in my photo was constructed to house a Cornish beam engine. Between1868 and 1877, when the mine closed, all winding, pumping and crusshing of ore was carried out by steam power. The engine house is now in the care of the National Trust and is a memorial to the mining industry of Dartmoor.