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Summary

A tin openwork on the eastern flank of the Redwater Valley, 500 metres west of Birch Tor. The working branches off the valley floor streamworks on the northeast side near the head of the valley. It is serpentine in plan, and is wider and deeper at the lower western end, tapering away to nothing at its highest point. It is approximately 350 metres long by 60 metres wide at the widest point. Roughly one third of the way up a spur branches off the openwork and extends for 70 metres to the north. Water was supplied to the working by a number of leats diverted from both north and south of Birch Tor, and there are four associated earthwork reservoirs.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021340: Tinworks, field systems, settlements, warren, cairns and a stone alignment at Headland Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE304
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1332389
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 34499

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Constructed, XV to XVII - 1450 AD (Between) to 1700 AD (Between))
• LEAT (Constructed, XV to XVII - 1450 AD (Between) to 1700 AD (Between))
• RESERVOIR (Constructed, XV to XVII - 1450 AD (Between) to 1700 AD (Between))
• TIN WORKS (Constructed, XV to XVII - 1450 AD (Between) to 1700 AD (Between))

Full description

Newman, P., 2002, Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines (Report - Survey). SDV363213.

(Visited 29/03/2001) Centred SX 6833 8142. A tin openwork on the eastern flank of the Redwater Valley, 500 metres west of Birch Tor. The working branches off the valley floor streamworks on the northeast side near the head of the valley. It is serpentine in plan, and is wider and deeper at the lower western end, tapering away to nothing at its highest point. It is approximately 350 metres long by 60 metres wide at the widest point. Roughly one third of the way up a spur branches off the openwork and extends for 70 metres to the north. Water was supplied to the working by a number of leats diverted from both north and south of Birch Tor, and there are four associated earthwork reservoirs (SX 6831 8130; 6832 8134; 6840 8143; 6848 8158). The interior of the working has several shafts and at least two adits visible in the base of the gully, representing remains from the 19th century mining activity (Monument HOB UID 1330988)and two tramways run from shaftheads out of the working to the south. The openwork phase is undocumented but is likely to date from the post-medieval period between c.1450 and 1750.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7139 - Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines Survey (Ref: A1/20/2001, A1/34/2002)

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