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Summary

The northern tinwork is the most extensive of the three, and includes at least 3 broad lines of pits, a prospecting trench and an oval structure which may represent a tinners' shelter or very small reservoir. Compared with the s tinwork the liens of pits are much broader and less clearly defined, but it is possible the resolve them into 3 areas. The northern of these is 300m long and includes at least 22 pits varying in size from 0.3 cubic m to 6/53 cubic m. The small size of the pits suggests that they are all prospecting pits. The wsw to ene alignment of these pits is not what one might expect of a speculative prospecting venture and it seems most plausible that they were excavated to examine the character, quality and extent of a known lode.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020129: Tinworks and other archaeological remains in the Meavy valley at Stanlake, Black Tor, Hart Tor and Cramber Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57SE247
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1461907
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/125/9
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/410
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/411
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SE/412
• Old SAM Ref: 24106

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• PROSPECTING PIT (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• STREAMWORK (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 152494, 152495, 152496 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

MPP 152494 (01/03/1996) SX 5743 7192 Prospecting pits associated with the lode back tinwork N of Black Tor.
MPP 152495 (01/03/1996) SX 5734 7192 Prospecting pits associated with the lode back tinwork N of Black Tor.
MPP 152496 (01/03/1996) SX 5744 7196 A group of lode back pits 210m NNE of Black Tor.

Gerrard, S., 1997, Black Tor (Meavy Valley Archaeology Site Report 5), fig 6 (Report - Survey). SDV360978.

Gerrard, S., 1997, Meavy Valley Archaeology Interim Report for 1996, 22; fig 10 (Report - Interim). SDV360393.

SX 573 719 The northern tinwork is the most extensive of the three, and includes at least three broad lines of pits, a prospecting trench and an oval structure which may represent a tinners' shelter or very small reservoir. Compared with the southern tinwork the lines of pits are much broader and less clearly defined, but it is possible the resolve them into three areas.
The northern of these is 300m long and includes at least 22 pits varying in size from 0.3 cubic metres to 6.53 cubic metres. The small size of the pits suggests that they are all prospecting pits. The west-south-west to east-north-east alignment of these pits is not what one might expect of a speculative prospecting venture and it seems most plausible that they were excavated to examine the character, quality and extent of a known lode.
The second lode within this area appears to have been more successful, and at least some mining appears to have been carried out. There are 34 pits in this area extending over 240m, and whilst all but three are probably prospecting pits, one is substantial and may represent a shamm shaft, although there is no trace of an adit and it is probably most sensible to view this pit as the beginnings of a lode-back type tinwork which failed to develop beyond the digging of the first couple of pits.
A similar picture emerges from the third lode where most of the pits are of the prospecting type, but in one area a number of large pits situated next to each other suggests that some of the lode material was extracted.
At one location a substantial trench was excavated across the line of the anticipated lodes. This 80m long trench was excavated by hand with the spoil being upcast to form a bank on the north-east side. The relative date of this prospecting venture to at least one of the pits within this tinwork is provided by the leat which cuts through the area. This leat which may have served the e lode-back tinwork cuts through the prospecting trench and partly cuts the spoil dump from pit 22. Therefore, the pit and trench are both earlier than the leat, which in turn is either contemporary with or earlier than the e lode-back tinwork.
The final feature is a 'U'-shaped 3.3m wide and 0.6m high bank with a centrally placed 1m wide gap. The interior of this structure is 6.8m long by 4.7m wide and whilst its shape may suggest that it is a reservoir it seems too small, and no trace of a feeder leat survives. It may be a tinners' shelter, with the e facing gap representing a doorway and whilst this seems the most likely interpretation it is not possible to be certain.

Bluesky, 2006 - 2007, Bluesky aerial photographs 2006 - 2007 (Aerial Photograph). SDV341189.

Faintly visible on the aerial photography when comparing with Gerrard's fig. 6 (Black Tor, 1997).

Fletcher, M. J., 2007-2008, Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project (Report - Survey). SDV359195.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7517 - Survey of Hart Tor tin works
• EDV7522 - Survey of Black Tor
• EDV8351 - Walkhampton Premier Archaeological Landscape; Field Investigation Project

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