Assayer's laboratory, Morwellham Quay, Devon
Morwellham Quay, on the banks of the River Tamar, was once an important port for the export of copper and various minerals. Ships travelled between here and South Wales, taking copper, tin and arsenic in one direction, while importing coal and other supplies.
Morwellham Quay had its own copper mine as well as handling the output from others in the Tamar Valley. It is now a living museum, and its buildings have been presented as they were back in the 19th century. The Assayer's Laboratory was where the content of the ore was checked to ensure that there was the required proportion of copper or other minerals that had been mined and were ready for export down the River Tamar.
Assayer's laboratory, Morwellham Quay, Devon
Morwellham Quay, on the banks of the River Tamar, was once an important port for the export of copper and various minerals. Ships travelled between here and South Wales, taking copper, tin and arsenic in one direction, while importing coal and other supplies.
Morwellham Quay had its own copper mine as well as handling the output from others in the Tamar Valley. It is now a living museum, and its buildings have been presented as they were back in the 19th century. The Assayer's Laboratory was where the content of the ore was checked to ensure that there was the required proportion of copper or other minerals that had been mined and were ready for export down the River Tamar.