Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Burrow Farm Pit
Hob Uid: 188487
Location : Somerset Somerset West and Taunton Brompton Regis
Grid Ref : ST0084034510
Summary : The shaft was sunk through earlier workings in 1860. The well preserved remains of an engine house built in 1879 for a Cornish pumping engine stand on the site. It is the last remaining example of its type on Exmoor. South of the engine house is a large spoil heap and the site of the main shaft. Two other shafts, the North Lode and Gundry's shaft are located nearby. In 1880 sidings were constructed to allow the ore to be trucked out from the main shaft onto the main line for onward transport to Watchet. A stretch of railway cutting passes immediately north of the mine. This 19th century mine appears to overlie earlier openworkings (see ST 03 SW 20).
More information : [ST 00843451] Barrow Farm Pit (Iron Ore) Disused (NAT) (1) Burrow Farm Mine, one of a number of mines built in the Brendon Hills iron field, was first sunk about 1860. The engine house was probably built in 1880 (2) and housed a rotary beam engine serving the dual purpose of pumping and winding. The building was constructed of small killas slabs without worked quoins, with railway sleepers as lintels, and incorporates a round chimney with its upper courses of brick, on the Cornish pattern. A short branch railway joined it to the West Somerset Mineral Railway (Lin 103). The mine finally closed in 1883. (1-4) 19/1 Listed Grade 2 Burrow Farm Engine House. In a meadow close to the former West Somerset Mineral Railway and to the north east of Burrow Farmhouse. Dating from about 1860. It originally housed a large Cornish type rotary beam engine and did pumping and winding duty at Burrow Farm Mine. Rectangular Cornish features. Two main storeys. Mostly coursed flat rubble slabs. Tall tapering round stack at the north east corner with upper part of red brick. Large opening in north wall and other openings of various sizes in side walls. Some timber lintels. Ruined and roofless at time of survey (1975). (5) The engine house described by the previous authorities is visible on aerial photographs. The earthwork remains of Burrow Farm mine are described in ST 03 SW 20. (6) A shaft was sunk through earlier workings in 1860, but the lode was inconsistent and the mine closed in 1868. It reopened in 1879 and the existing engine house was constructed. It is very well preserved - the only one in Somerset - and originally housed a Cornish pumping engine. To the south of the engine house is the site of the mine shaft and an adjacent spoil heap. These 19th century remains appear to overlie earlier openworkings recorded under ST 03 SW 20. Surveyed in March 1999 as aprt of RCHME's Exmoor Project. (7 & 8) ST 00953449. Burrow Farm iron mine and section of mineral railway trackbed. Scheduled. (9) in 1990 the engine house was conserved for public display (10)

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Source Number : 1
Source : Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)
Source details : OS 25" 1889
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Source Number : 2
Source : The West Somerset mineral railway and the story of the Brendon Hills iron mines
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Page(s) : 28,47,100
Figs. : 27,39
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Source : Burrow Farm Iron Mine/pencil survey
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Source : Burrow Farm Iron Mine/ink survey
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Source Number : 3
Source : The Batsford guide to the industrial archaeology of central southern England : Avon County, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire
Source details :
Page(s) : 115, ILLUS
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Source Number : 4
Source : Journal of the Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society
Source details :
Page(s) : 46
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Vol(s) : 1, 1976

Source Number : 5
Source : List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest
Source details : DOE (HHR) W Somer Dist Addenda June 1975
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Source Number : 6
Source : Vertical aerial photograph reference number
Source details : NMR OS/70387 501-502 25-SEP-1970
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Source Number : 7
Source : VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION
Source details : MH Jones 1998 `Notes on some of the Brendon Hills Iron Mines and the West Somerset Mineral Railway' unpub MSS
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Source Number : 8
Source : Field Investigators Comments
Source details : R Wilson-North March 1999 RCHME Field Investigation
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Source Number : 9
Source : Scheduled Monument Notification
Source details : 03-Sep-04
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Source Number : 10
Source : English Heritage Monuments Protection Programme Industrial Monuments Assessment, Step 3 Reports
Source details : Instone E, for the Monuments Protection Programme 1995: The Iron Mining Industry
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : 1879-83
Monument End Date : 1883
Monument Start Date : 1879
Monument Type : Ironstone Mine, Beam Engine House, Drying House, Chimney, Spoil Heap, Mine Shaft, Mineral Railway, Railway Cutting, Railway Siding
Evidence : Ruined Building, Earthwork

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : 1883-98
Monument End Date : 1898
Monument Start Date : 1883
Monument Type : Railway Cutting, Mineral Railway
Evidence : Earthwork

Monument Period Name : Victorian
Display Date : 1860
Monument End Date : 1860
Monument Start Date : 1860
Monument Type : Ironstone Mine, Spoil Heap, Mineral Railway, Ventilation Chimney, Beam Engine House
Evidence : Structure, Earthwork, Demolished Structure

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Somerset)
External Cross Reference Number : Somer 33376
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : ViewFinder
External Cross Reference Number : AA99/06791
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 33075
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : Listed Building List Entry Legacy Uid
External Cross Reference Number : 265597
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : NBR Index Number
External Cross Reference Number : 99/01480
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : ST 03 SW 21
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities : Primary, RCHME: BRENDON HILLS MAPPING PROJECT, NMP
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 1998-01-01
End Date : 1998-10-01

Historic England Research Records

Burrow Farm Pit