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Summary

Wheelpit and stamping mill at Caroline Wheal Prosper tin mine built in the 19th century on the west side of the Dean Burn to the west of the office building.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX76NW89
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1433413

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STAMPING MILL (Constructed, XIX - 1854 AD (Between) to 1857 AD (Between))
• WHEEL PIT (Constructed, XIX - 1854 AD (Between) to 1857 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Rectangular structure shown on 19th century map.

Newman, P., 2004, Caroline Wheal Prosper: a Tin Mine at Buckfastleigh in Devon, 5, 7-8, Figures 3-5 (Report - Survey). SDV359664.

(15/04/2004) Ruined wheelpit, stamping mill and dressing floor at Caroline Wheal Prosper Mine.
On the western side of the River Mardle much of the activity is contained on or beside a natural level shelf which has been artificially extended to the east from what appears to be rocky material removed from the slope to the rear but could also include mine waste from the deep adit. The wheelpit is sited at the back of the shelf against the steep rockface at the base of the slope, just in front of the adit. It is constructed from stone and is only partially sunk into the ground. Though the walls have suffered some collapse, it remains in a fair condition and to a maximum internal depth of 5.5m in places. The internal width is 2m and although there is no visible western end it is approximately 9.1m long and could therefore have contained a wheel of just under 9m diameter. The tailrace is at the foot of the southern wall consisting of a stone 1.1m-diameter arched opening which leads out through a rock-cut tunnel with an exit portal 11.5m to the south-east. Although nothing now remains to identify the location of the stamping area associated with the surviving wheelpit, it was almost certainly located on the north side. This area has been terraced, utilizing the face of the natural vertical outcrop behind to form a back wall. Fourteen metres north of the wheelpit a small stone building has been constructed into this face. It is raised slightly above the level of the terrace and has an internal length of 4m though the width is uncertain. Only the back and end walls survive but it is likely also to have had a front, east wall which has since been effaced. North of the building is a slightly raised, terraced area. It has a retaining wall on the west side, built against the slope and the eastern edge of the terrace itself is also retained by a low stone revetment. This terrace probably contained corrugated iron sheds covering an approximate area of 172m2 and housing portable tin dressing equipment.
Two buddles survive on a level area to the east of the wheelpit. The northern buddle has an unusual lozenge shaped outline with a long axis of 4.5m and a width of 2.1m; its floor is flat and the sides, which are approximately 0.7m deep, are lined with masonry. On its southern end where two sides meet is a narrow vertical slot of 60mm wide through which water could exit. Immediately below and to the south of this buddle, is a second buddle of rectangular outline measuring 4.3m by 2.3m by 0.8m deep. The rim of this buddle is 0.6m lower than that of buddle a, and is so positioned to enable it to collect material contained within its outflow. This buddle is also lined with masonry and survives intact. To the east of the buddles is a 0.6m wide by an average of 0.3m deep stone-lined channel running from north to south, constructed to convey water and possibly tin slimes to the area at the foot of the terrace.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7005 - Caroline Wheal Prosper: a Tin Mine at Buckfastleigh in Devon (Ref: A1/29/2004)

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