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Summary

A row of workers' houses including the Captain's house at Birch Tor and Vitifer Tin Mines. The three houses are situated on the eastern lower side of the Redwater Valley. An archaeological field survey in 2001 recorded the main building the captain's house, which is likely to be the oldest, possibly of 18th-century date. This was a two storey stone house of typical Dartmoor appearance. A large half timbered building was added to the southwest end sometime after 1905 which is recorded as the miners' house and on the northeast end of the captain's house a further stone cottage was added. The approximate overall dimensions of the whole terrace of houses is 30 metres by 6 metres. The walls survive only to foundation level and the interior and exterior is contains fallen stone which is now covered by turf. Foundations of some interior partition walls survive. On the northern side are a series of small enclosures, incorporating a garden plot and livestock enclosures. An outdoor privy was also present. A photograph taken in 1912 show all three houses extant.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021340: Tinworks, field systems, settlements, warren, cairns and a stone alignment at Headland Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE334
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1344295
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 34499

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FOREMANS HOUSE (Built, XVIII - 1701 AD (Between) to 1800 AD (Between))
• ROW HOUSE (Constructed, Edwardian to Early 20th Century - 1905 AD (Between) to 1912 AD (Between))
• WORKERS COTTAGE (Built, Edwardian to Early 20th Century - 1905 AD (Between) to 1912 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Buildings and rectilinear enclosure shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Shown on early 20th century map.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Buildings visible on aerial photographs.

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

Contemporary photographs of buildings c.1912 published by Greeves.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 22-5, Map 24, Figure 24.5 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Site '6' at 'Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines' across the clapper bridge over the Redwater from the main mine buildings. A group of buildings backing onto gardens was a dormitory for the miners above a kitchen and canteen, the mine captains house and a cottage.

Newman, P., 2002, Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines (Report - Survey). SDV363213.

(Visited 10/07/2001) The main accommodation block at Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines. A terrace of three ruined buildings on the eastern lower side of the Redwater valley.
The main, central, building was the Captain's House, which is likely to be the oldest, possibly of 18th-century date. This was a two storey stone house of typical Dartmoor appearance. A large half timbered building was added to the south-west end sometime after 1905 which is recorded as the miners' house and on the north-east end of the captain's house a further stone cottage was added. The approximate overall dimensions of the whole terrace is 30 metres by 6 metres. The walls are now ruined almost to foundation level and the interior and exterior is covered by fallen stone which is now disguised by turf. Foundations of some interior partition walls are visible. A series of small enclosures are attached on the northern side, incorporating a garden plot and livestock enclosures. A ruined and roofless outdoor privy is located built into one of the wall corners at SX 6822 8104.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7139 - Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines Survey (Ref: A1/20/2001, A1/34/2002)

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