The Leaning Tower of Dartmoor
By Miles ·
Viewed from below, Wheal Betsy’s leaning chimney rises against a dramatic sky, its weathered stonework recalling Dartmoor’s mining past.
Dartmoor might seem an unlikely place to find a leaning tower, but tucked away on the western edge of the moor stands a rather remarkable reminder of Devon's mining past.
Wheal Betsy, near Mary Tavy, is one of Dartmoor's most recognisable industrial ruins. Its roofless engine house and tall chimney are all that remain of a once-busy mine where generations of workers laboured to extract valuable minerals from beneath the moor.
Built in 1868, the engine house accommodated a Cornish beam pumping engine, used to remove water from the underground workings. The mine produced lead and silver, amongst other minerals, but persistent difficulties with flooding and declining profitability eventually brought operations to an end in 1877.
Perhaps the building's most distinctive feature is its chimney, which has developed a noticeable lean over the years. Fortunately, the structure was saved from demolition and acquired by the National Trust in 1967, when essential work was undertaken to stabilise the building and preserve it for future generations.
By positioning the camera close to the base of the chimney and looking almost vertically upwards, I was able to emphasise its extraordinary height and the rough textures of the weathered stonework. The perspective exaggerates the tower's imposing proportions, while the sweeping clouds provide a dramatic backdrop.
I chose black and white to concentrate attention on the architectural details, particularly the individual courses of stone rising towards the chimney's circular cap. The contrast between the illuminated masonry and the darker sky adds a sense of drama to an otherwise simple composition.
There is something fascinating about these old mining buildings. Constructed for an entirely practical purpose, they have gradually become landmarks in their own right, their weathered walls and distinctive shapes now an inseparable part of the landscape.
For me, Wheal Betsy is a wonderful example of that transformation. Once a place of machinery, smoke and hard physical labour, it now stands in silence on the moor.
And despite its rather precarious appearance, Dartmoor's very own leaning tower is still standing.