See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Complex of 20th century leats connected with the extraction of alluvial tin at Redwater. The leats are visible as U-shaped channels of approximately 1 metre wide and 0.8 metres deep.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NE97
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 915223

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Constructed, Early 20th Century to Mid 20th Century - 1901 AD (Between) to 1950 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1950, RAF/541/540, 3145-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV285230.

Ordnance Survey, 1972, OS/72/066, 11-13 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346967.

Visible on APs.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1986, Tin Mines and Miners of Dartmoor, A photographic record, 45-6, 60 (Monograph). SDV351363.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, P. Pattison (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(15/06/1990) SX 6884 7900. A complex of leats in low-lying marshy ground around the West Webburn River south of Challacombe Down. The main elements are:
Leat 1: A U-shaped channel 1.0 metre wide and 0.8 metres deep with traces of upcast "banks" on both sides. Taken off a bend in the west branch of the river at SX 6880 7915, it runs south-south-east for 60 metres then curves east back towards the river. Before the river it divides into a north fork ending against the bank but possibly originally laundered across to serve buddles SX 67 NE 96 and a south fork running east-south-east for 35 metres before itself dividing: and east fork appears to have crossed the west branch of the river running south to end at the east branch of the river at SX 6894 7886. A west fork takes a sweeping curve to head south-west, crossing leat 2 at SX 6884 7900 and ending in marsh at SX 6880 7895.
Leat 2: Similar to but slightly larger than 1. It starts at SX 6882 7909 and its surviving course south of here is secondary to leat 1. However, it appears to have been cut earlier; leat 1's east-south-east course from this point being a diversion. It follows a straightish course south to the field wall at SX 6882 7873.
All the leats cut through earlier streamworking spoil mounds and are almost certainly a product of reworking alluvial tin deposits by the Torr Trust Ltd. Co. and others between 1925 and the 1930's. Mobile trommels and buddles together with a laundered water supply are shown working the area in a photograph of c1929 (Greeves, 1986).
See also SX 67 NE 96, 98 and 101 for further monuments relating to tin extraction in the immediate vicinity.
Surveyed at 1:2500, plan with SX 67 NE 111.

Agricultural Development Advisory Service, 1991, Challacombe Farm Postbridge, Devon (Duchy Farms Project), 33, Map D1 (Report - Assessment). SDV356546.

Two leats, now dry, took water from the West Webburn River. They have u-shaped channels, 0.8 metres to 1.2 metres wide and 0.8 metres deep, with traces of upcast on both sides. One supplied a tin treatment plant as well as streamworks.

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

Depicted on the survey data: The remains of 20th century leats connected with the extraction of alluvial tin. The leats are visible as U-shaped channels of approximately 1 metre wide and 0.8 metres deep.

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

Leats visible on aerial photograph.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8658 - Challacombe, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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