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Caradon Hill 
South East Cornwall
A creator of Fortunes and Failures 
Caradon Hill seen from the South 
 
South Cornish Coast Landmarks
Caradon Hill Geology
Caradon Hill Mine Map
Open works and Streaming
Gonomena Open works
Mines
South Caradon 
East Caradon 
West Caradon 
Gonamena
Railways
Caradon Railway Map
Liskeard and Caradon 
Kilmar Junction 
Railway
Detail from this map
South Caradon 
East Caradon
West Caradon
Gonomena Open works
Some Views 
South Caradon from the footpath
South Caradon's Lodes
 
 
" A tall radio mast, marked by Obstruction lights, attaining an elevation of 587M stands on Caradon Hill 101/2 N of Saint George's Island" 
Channel Pilot 1977 edn 

Caradon hill dominates South East Cornwall lending  its name to the local Government Region. On  clear days, from the sea, copper colour tips can be seen like scars on its slopes. Scars that hint at the great mineral wealth that was once extracted from beneath the hill.  
During the Victorian era Caradon was one of the most important mining regions in the world. Mine remains are scattered all around its slopes and workings extend below it to a depth over half that of the mast now towering above it.  
A railway was built to link Caradon to the coast at Looe and many villages grew up around its foot to feed its demand for labour.  
The greatest of the mines was South Caradon, a mine with a true Rag to Riches story to tell.  
Today the hill is almost silent with crumbling remains left to tell the story of past industry. 
Geological Map of the Caradon Mining District 1863 
Surveyed by Brenton Symons 
Reproduced Courtesy of Liskeard Library
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This Victorian map shows the mine Setts on the hill in 1863 during the peak years of the mining boom at Caradon. The Sett boundaries are highlighted in colour as is the Granite/Killas boundary. Red lines indicate the course of the lodes and the East-West trend can be clearly seen. Grey lines running North to South are Cross courses and Lode displacement can be seen where they cut the lodes. 
 

The Liskeard and Caradon Railway is shown with the Gonamena Incline in use, the line terminates on the Southern slopes of the hill at a siding in East Caradon mine. The Marke valley branch and KJR have yet to be built.

This map is now available with far greater detail within CD-ROM called

The Liskeard Mining Area 1863

The interactive map covers the Liskeard, Ludcott and Menheniot districts with additional information on each of the mines included. Also on the CD-ROM is Webb and Geach's account of the mining industry in 1863, extracts from the mining journal, index of mines and photographs. Copies of the CD-ROM are available from the bookshop, the Parade, Liskeard at £6 each.