See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Dressing Floor at Stamping Mill number 3 forming part of the 19th century Eylesbarrow Tin Mine

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021055: Eylesbarrow Tin Mine and associated remains

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/194/4
• Old SAM Ref: 34467

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DRESSING FLOOR (XVIII to XIX - 1750 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Three sided earthwork shown on 19th century map.

Gerrard, S., 1990-2002, Monument Protection Programme. Archaeological Item Dataset., MPP 157198 (Report - Survey). SDV277946.

Site visited on 9th May 2002. Dressing floor 1070 metres south-west of Eylesbarrow, forming part of Eylesbarrow Tin Mine. A rectangular terrace cut into the hillslope denoted on the north-east and south-east by a substantial bank standing up to 1.2 metres high. A number of linear hollows within the area represent the site of buddles some of which are stone lined. The buddles are up to 0.9 metres deep. Further hollows surviving beyond the terrace probably represent an extension to the dressing floor. The dressing floor is cut through by a leat. Grass, heather and rushes.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1999, Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor areas in the Plym Valley, West Devon (Report - Survey). SDV346268.

Newman , P., 1999, Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine (Report - Survey). SDV352201.

Newman , P., 1999, Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine, 25-31, Figures 2, 10-11 (Report - Survey). SDV352201.

Each Stamping Mill has an associated dressing floor. The stamping area at each mill is immediately adjacent to the wheel. The crushed particles would have passed into a stone lined settling pit sited on the dressing floor. These are 2.8 – 3.3 metres long by approximately 1 metre wide and are lined with flat granite slabs. On some dressing floors additional pits or ‘buddles’ sit alongside the settling pit which may have been lined with timber instead of granite. Below the main dressing Floors are a range of secondary buddles and tailings pits for further refining. The plan of the dressing floor at Stamping Mill number 3 shows three small rectangular settling pits to the south-east of the wheelpit, a tailrace running south-west from the wheelpit and two rectangular buddles to the south on the south side of a leat.

Newman, P., 1999, Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine, Figure 10 (Article in Serial). SDV231130.

English Heritage, 2005, Survey Information (miscellaneous date) (Report - Survey). SDV345855.

Three small rectangular settling pits shown to the east of the wheelpit and two rectangular buddles shown to the south-west.

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

Various features shown on aerial photograph.

English Heritage, 2013, Eylesbarrow Tin Mine and associated remains (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.

National Monument Record, 2014, Pastscape, 1300534 (Website). SDV355682.

A water powered stamping mill and attached dressing floor at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine. The mill is one of six stamping mills which processed tin ore for Eylesbarrow Tin Mine, and is also one of three which were constructed in 1814. An archaeological field survey by English Heritage in 1999 found the mill to comprise a level stance of ground with a revetted retaining wall. At the northend is a rectangular, stone wheelpit, measuring 8.2 metres by 0.9 metres. Upslope is a raised earth leat embankment, which would have supported a wooden launder channel at the correct height to bring water to the overshot wheel. A deep open tail race channel diverted water away from the wheelpit, onto the launder of the fourth stamping mill in the sequence. The water source was the Eylesbarrow Engine leat which stored water in the large reservoir 160m uphill. Before connecting with this mill the water had already passed over or bypassed the Engine Wheel and two stamping mill wheels. A possible stamping has also been identified. It consists of a 3 metre by 2.2 metre stone revetted level platform, raised above the dressing floor onto which the set of Cornish stamps, would operate. The mill used the wet stamping process whereby a flow of water was passed over the base of the stamps, washing the crushed particles through a perforated grate, into a stone lined settling pit sited on the dressing floor. It measures 2.8 metres by 1.3 metres long and has a lining of flat granite slabs, which are still partially visible. Below the main dressing floor there are 2 additional pits. They measure approximately 7.5 metres by 2.8 metres, and survive to a maximum depth of 0.5 metre. One has remains of a masonry lining.

Various, 2018-2019, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-DT40 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 17/9/2019. Dressing floor covered by grass and whortleberry with reed outcrops. Overall condition very good. Photo taken.

Various, 2018-2019, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-DT40 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo looking 090° showing grass and whortleberry cover with reed outcrops of the dressing floor.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor
• EDV6239 - Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.