[3] The extensive remains lie to the north of the River Plym, less than 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east of Drizzlecombe, on the southern shoulder of the hill called Eylesbarrow on top of which are two prominent Bronze Age barrows.

The large mining sett (about 3 by 2 miles (4.8 by 3.2 km)) is crossed by many tin-bearing lodes which are substantially vertical and trend east-north-east.

[4] The formation of the lodes was accompanied by extensive metasomatism which converted much of the plagioclase feldspar in the surrounding granite into the soft mineral kaolinite,[5] and made excavation easier than it would have been in unaltered rock.

[7] Around 550 years later a document of 1715 stated of Sheepstor Parish that "all the parishioners are tinners",[7] but by this time working for tin on the moor was already in decline, probably because of the exhaustion of the easily accessible deposits.

[7] Extraction started at the mine in February 1815 and by 1820, despite several business difficulties, it was sending quantities of black tin to Cornwall for smelting.

[12] In 1831 the mine employed over sixty men, but at the end of that year the smelter ceased operation[12] and there is then a four-year gap in the records.

[14] The mine apparently operated unsuccessfully on a small scale for the next few years while the price of tin fell again.

This resurgence of activity was bolstered with glowing reports on the quality of its ore and the previous high returns that had been made despite the shafts being of no great depth.

It was also said that the smelting house "can be made fit for use at a very trifling cost" which will make it "a source of great profit".

[17] In June 1847 the mine captain, John Spargo, proposed a number of improvements, including the installation of a 50 ft (15 m) waterwheel and new stamps, and the sinking of new shafts, the whole costing a total of nearly £1,000.

By the following March it was reported that the mine could not continue in operation and a final call of £1 per share was being made to clear the debts of the company.

[19] Valuable Mining Materials for Sale—Ailesborough Mine …An excellent water-wheel (built in 1848, and now in very good condition) 50 feet in diameter, 3 ft breast, with cranks, sadles, brasses, &c., complete, three balance bobs, with arch heads and pin chain complete …Yet another company, calling itself "Aylesborough", was formed during 1848, and sold over £50 worth of black tin.

[21] This new concern employed only a few men, but operated successfully for a time, selling 1 ton 4 cwt 11 lb of ore for £61.

There are also a number of openworks that follow the lodes, and signs of leats and reservoirs and hundreds of prospecting pits.

Shallow Adit is blocked, its position marked by a stream issuing from the hillside just to the south of the main track.

Two Brother's Adit is also still open and discharges an abundant stream of water into the steep-sided gulley that surrounds it.

[31] William Crossing reported that the mine owner, a man named Deacon, used to entertain guests by taking them out on the reservoir in a small boat.

When the distance between source and target is significant an efficient means of transferring the power is necessary, and in the 19th century the best method available was the flatrod system.

This was used at a number of mines and consisted of a series of linked iron or wooden rods connected to a crank on a waterwheel (or steam engine).

[36] From the wheelpit of the first waterwheel, two series of double pillars head eastwards up the hill, just to the north of the main track.

The mechanism operating the flatrod system was on the north side, aligned with the short section of wall visible further away on the left: this probably formed part of the first support for the flatrods, which are believed to have travelled underground until they reached a V-shaped gulley, just visible towards the top of the photograph.

The chronology of the use of these systems is not certain, though the extension to the northern shaft probably represents the very last phase of underground mining at the site.

[42] The wheelpit for the waterwheel that powered the bellows of the blast furnace was immediately behind the short length of standing wall, and the small stamping mill and dressing floor were behind again, on the other side of the wheel.

[42] The three stone pillars in the background are believed to have supported a roof structure later in the history of the mine, after smelting ceased.

[45] There are further remains of an associated mine known as Wheal Katherine about a kilometre to the east—these include six shafts, a wheelpit and another stamping mill (known as No. 7).