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Summary

A water wheelpit at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine which contained the waterwheel to power the below-ground pumping equipment at mine. The installation of this wheel is documented to 1814. The wheelpit was surveyed as part of an English Heritage archaeological field survey of the tin mine in 1999. It is constructed from granite, partly sunk below ground level and embanked with earth around the long sides. The main structure has internal dimensions of 13.8 metres by 5.7metres. It is likely that the wheel was housed within an inner structure of less than 2 metres wide, but its outline is now obscured by collapsed masonry. The breast of the waterwheel was unlikely to be less than 0.60 metres. A rectangular, stone-lined pit of 5.5 metres by 4.3 metres which contained the balance bob is sited to the southwest end of the wheelpit and the tail race.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021055: Eylesbarrow Tin Mine and associated remains

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE262
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/187
• Old SAM Ref: 34467

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATER WHEEL (XIX - 1814 AD to 1814 AD (Between))
• WHEEL PIT (XIX - 1814 AD to 1814 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

Rectangular feature shown on 19th century Tithe Map. A channel from a reservoir to the south-east is shown entering the east end of the wheelpit and a linear feature runs south-west from the west end of the wheelpit.

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

Rectangular structure shown on 19th century map.

Cook, R. M. L., 1974, Eylesbarrow (1814- 1852): A Study of a Dartmoor Tin Mine, 179-180 (Article in Serial). SDV231127.

Eylesbarrow. The rectangular engine wheel-house is now in a very ruined condition. The thick granite walls stand to a max height of 1.37 metres. Unlikely that the wheel was completely enclosed in a roofed building. The central wheelpit is almost obscured by tumbled masonry. The north-east wall had two apertures through each of which a flatrod alignment passed from the wheel cranks uphill to the shafts. Both sets of rods were supported on iron pulleys which were pivoted in lubricated recesses in granite blocks. Some variation necessary to support the inflexible rod system over uneven ground. Some stones only just visible, others are 610 millimetres high. Each block was recessed to accomodate one end of the iron axle of the pulley. A bearing generally took the form of a groove in the upper horizontal surface of the block, but where the operating level of the rods was at or below the ground surface, the bearings were blind holes drilled in the inner faces of the supporting blocks. The blocks were set at intervals of about 6.10 metres, most of them are extant. During operation the rotary motion of the engine wheel was converted by the cranks into a reciprocating motion of the rods which was thus available at the heads of Engine Shafts for working the pumps within. The southern system of supports has been traced to Barrack Shaft 400 metres from the engine wheel house, and onto a second shaft 660 metres from the wheel house. The northern series of supports can be followed to a shaft 189 metres from the wheel house and onto a point close to Philp Shaft, 483 metres from the wheelhouse. Northern alignment interrupted before 1842 by the erection of a farm building (an adapted mine building) and its associated enclosures.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 157186 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Site visited on 9th May 2002. Engine Wheelpit 720 metres south-west of Eylesbarrow, forming part of Eylesbarrow Tin Mine. Massive drystone wall formed by substantial blocks stands up to 1.3 metres high. Within this structure is the wheelpit itself which survives as a rectangular hollow filled with large rocks. Leading away to the northeast are two separate lines of flat rod stones. Two recesses in the north-east wall denote the position through which the rods passed from the wheel. Grass. Bank added to the outside of an original freestanding structure. At south-west end of wheelpit is the bob pit denoted by a large granite revetment standing up to 1.7 metres high. Rubble lies mainly within the eastern part of this structure. Grass, heather and rushes. The walls protrude up to 0.2 metres through a rubble mound standing 0.8 metres high. Attached enclosure is formed by a single face drystone wall which faces outward. The inside is formed by a slight bank. The wall is up to 0.9 metres high. Grass and heather.

Robertson, J. G., 1994, The Archaeology of the Upper Plym Valley (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV139549.

Depicted and described by Robertson.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 23,23 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Newman, P., 1999, Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine (Article in Serial). SDV231130.

The first Engine Wheel was recorded in 1815 when cutting 370 metres of the Engine Leat The main structure is 13.8 metres by 5.7 metres. A rectangular stone-lined pit 5.5 metres by 4.3 metres for the balance bob is located to the south-west of the wheelpit. Features are located on 1:500 survey map.
(30/09/1999) SX 5953 6807. The engine wheelpit, which contained the waterwheel to power below-ground pumping equipment at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine, which operated between 1814 and 1852. The installation of this wheel is documented to 1814.
The wheelpit is constructed from granite, partly sunk below ground level and embanked with earth around the long sides. The main structure has internal dimensions of 13.8 by 5.7m and the interior is strewn with tumbled masonry. It is likely that the wheel was housed within an inner structure of less than 2m wide, but its outline is now obscured by the collapsed masonry. The breast of the waterwheel was unlikely to be less than 60cm. A rectangular, stone-lined pit of 5.5m by 4.3m which contained the balance bob is sited to the SW end of the wheelpit and the tail race, consisting of a shallow linear trench, may be traced beyond this pit and conducted waste water away towards the launder of a stamping mill further down the hill (Monument HOB UID 1300527) A 30m-long leat embankment stands 30m north of the wheelpit, water being conducted directly from an outlet on a large linear reservoir (Monument Hob UID 1300605) adjacent to it just upslope.
Two recesses in the north end of the outer wheelpit structure indicate the positions through which flat rods passed. The flat rods consisted of rods of iron, joined together to extend between the waterwheel and the engine shafts. The rods were supported on upright pulley wheels with concave rims in which the rods could move. The axles of the pulley wheels rested between pairs of granite posts, which had semi-circular bearing slots with a diameter of 3.5cm cut into the uppermost surface. The posts are spaced on average 0.4m apart and 5.5m - 7m between pairs and it is these pairs of posts, which form the extant remains for the flat rod systems today. The height of the posts varies between just above ground level to approximately 1m though few exceed this.
From the engine wheelpit, two alignments of paired posts lead off to the east. Of these the northern alignment appears the better preserved with many more posts surviving in place. As both alignments progress uphill, shallow earthwork cuttings were used to traverse uneven ground and in one position the pulley wheels were set below ground level to overcome an increase in height. Where the northern alignment meets an enclosure wall at SX 5978 6815, it appears to stop. However, the system once continued further east and survives as a linear cutting, with a V profile which scores a course through the waste dumps of an old openwork, finally becoming obscured to the north of Philip's shaft at SX 5998 6825. Only one post is now visible in this cutting. The destination of the flatrod was the `Old' Engine shaft (SX 6006 6829), 663m from the wheel but it also aligns with Henry's engine shaft(SX 6014 6832), 672m from the wheel, which has provision for pumping in the form of a balance bob pit on its west side and was operated at a later date.
The southern alignment is extant as it leaves the area of the wheelpit but only a few posts have survived between there and the buildings complex at SX 5979 6814, which it bypasses to the south. More posts are visible leading up to a New Engine shaft at SX 5986 6817, 354m from the wheel. This shaft is known to have been used as an engine shaft from at least the 1840s. The original destination of this system was probably Pryce Deacon's shaft at SX 6024 6834, 777m from the wheel. Again the course of the flat rod is mainly visible as a V shape linear channel which runs beside the track, crosses it, then traverses the spoil heap, south of a shaft at SX 6005 6827.

Whitbourne, A., 2001, Visit to Eylesbarrow Mine (Article in Serial). SDV231129.

Whitford Shaft was renamed Henry's Engine after conversion from mining to pumping. A recess shows where power from the flat rod was transferred from horizontal to vertical before entering a tunnel to Price Deacon Shaft.

Whitbourne, A., 2001, Visit to Eylesbarrow Mine, 2-3 (Article in Serial). SDV231129.

English Heritage, 2005, Industrial Survey Information (Report - Survey). SDV346396.

Feature shown on digital survey.

Newman, P., 2006, Cramber Tor Training Area Archaeological Field Investigation (Report - Survey). SDV233640.

(01/08/2006) As described in 1999. Condition remains unchanged.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Rectangular feature shown on aerial photograph.

English Heritage, 2013, Eylesbarrow Tin Mine and associated remains, 1021055 (Schedule Document). SDV231131.

The 19th century Eylesbarrow Tin Mine opened in 1814 and continued until 1852. During this time several companies were formed to run the mine and most failed to make a profit. Eylesbarrow's importance stems from its unrivalled array of 19th century mining remains making it the largest and most informative example of a large scale water powered tin mine in Britain. At least 27 shafts and five adits were cut to reach the tin lodes, seven whim platforms and two water powered engine wheels were built to power the lifting and pumping machinery, a series of tramways were made to carry the ore to six separate stamping mills and, to complete the picture, a smelting house was constructed to smelt the processed tin from the stamping mills. The size of the operation is further emphasised by the large number of ancillary buildings constructed to serve the mine. Amongst these are a count house, dormitory accommodation, blacksmith's shop, powder houses, sample house and various storage buildings.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Three sides of a rectangular feature shown on modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2013, Pastscape, 1300630 (Website). SDV352645.

A water wheelpit at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine which contained the waterwheel to power the below-ground pumping equipment at the mine. The installation of this wheel is documented to 1814. The wheelpit was surveyed as part of an English Heritage archaeological field survey of the tin mine in 1999. It is constructed from granite, partly sunk below ground level and embanked with earth around the long sides. The main structure has internal dimensions of 13.8 metres by 5.7 metres. It is likely that the wheel was housed within an inner structure of less than 2 metres wide, but its outline is now obscured by collapsed masonry. The breast of the waterwheel was unlikely to be less than 0.60 metres. A rectangular, stone-lined pit of 5.5 metres by 4.3 metres which contained the balance bob is sited to the southwest end of the wheelpit and the tail race.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-DT37 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 17/7/2019. Whelpit covered with grass with a few netles and thistles. Overall condition very good. Photo taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-DT37 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo looking 070° showing grass cover with a few nettles and thistles.

Greeves, T., July 1979, Devon Studies Week. Notes for Afternoon Excursion, Thursday, July 12th 1979 (Un-published). SDV230997.

Site visited on 12th July 1987. Built about 1820 and in use until about 1847.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape
• EDV6239 - Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)

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