Former Saxon Mine Shaft

About

The Crown Princess mine was the first to operate on this site, beginning in 1871. In 1883 the Crown Princess merged with the Saxon Gold Mining Company and the mine became known as the Saxon. Gold was mined at the Saxon until 1914 and three years later the shaft became a pumping station. The poppet-head over the shaft was demolished in 1919 and in 1923 the Thames Borough Council opened the pumping station building that stands on the site today. After it sustained significant storm damage, the pump house was substantially refurbished in 2009. The gold and silver bullion yield from the c.69,000 tons of quartz mined at the Saxon during its lifetime was 43,438 ounces.