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Summary

Large area of alluvial streamworks in Bellacouche Fields to the north of Biera Wood to the east of Chagford. Survey in 2013 and evaluation in 2015 in advance of construction of new housing.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STREAMWORK (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD)

Full description

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

Large area of openwork, following tin lodes, visible on aerial photograph in fields to north of Biera Wood. Map object based on this source.

Newman, P., 2013, Bellacouche Fields Earthwork Survey Plans (Plan - measured). SDV358440.

Measured survey plans.

Nowell, J., 2013, Cultural Heritage Desk Based Assessment, Chagford, Devon, 30, 32 (Report - Assessment). SDV351079.

Evidence for post-medieval openworking on this site survives in the form of a modified landscape, the result of excavation of the east-west running tin lodes and the depositon of waste material. There are no structural remains visible associated with ore processing. These earthwork remains are most obvious in the south-eastern part of the proposed development site [adjacent to Biera Wood].

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

Map object based on this source.

Newman, P., 2013, Tinworking in Bellacouche Fields, Chagford: An Archaeological Earthwork Survey and Assessment of Significance (Report - Survey). SDV351457.

Earthwork survey of tinworking at Bellacouche Fields on the eastern outskirts of Chagford. A large area of tin streamworks was identified with associated water courses which form part of a much larger system of tinworks. Alluvial tin deposits such as these were exploited from the Medieval period onwards. The tin industry was of fundamental economic and social importance to the town of Chagford, which was a Stannary Town, from at least the early 14th century until the late 18th century. The area of workings within the fields to be developed is 3.5 hectares with evidence of much of the tinwork and water channels surviving.

Flaherty, S. Thompson, S., 2015, Bellacouche Fields Chagford, Devon. Archaeological Evaluation Report (Report - Evaluation). SDV359916.

The evaluation identified that truncation and landscaping had probably removed some archaeological remains associated with tin working, though a single feature revealed in Trench 3 is likely to be the continuation of a leat recorded during an earlier earthwork survey. This leat would have been used to supply water to the streamwork to the south-east. A possible occupation/clearance horizon and pit, both undated, were observed in Trench 4, along with a modern ditch. Evidence of earlier activity in the vicinity is indicated through the recovery a struck flint tool of probable Mesolithic date and a single sherd of Romano-British pottery, both likely to be residual finds within later features.

Butler, C., 2016, Bellacouche Fields, Chagford: Written Scheme of Investigation for an Archaeological Evaluation (Report - non-specific). SDV360293.

Archaeological evidence concludes that the earthworks at Bellacouche Fields formed part of the upper section of an alluvial tinwork.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6158 - Tinworking in Bellacouche Fields, Chagford: An archaeological earthwork survey and assessment of significance
• EDV7142 - Evaluation at Bellacouche Fields, Chagford (Ref: 105141.02)
• EDV8301 - Evaluation at Bellacouche Fields (Ref: C1/EVA/16/BCD)

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