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Summary

Remains of a mine building which housed the miners' dry and other ancillary functions at Birch Tor and Vitifer Tin Mines. It is depicted on the Ordnance Survey map of 1885. An archaeological survey in 2001 recorded its dimensions as 42.3 metres long and 42.3 metres wide. The building was subdivided into six compartments and was built on a level terrace cut into the base of a slope. The front eastern wall was ruined almost to ground level. The walls are on average 0.5m thick built from moorstone. At the rear exterior of the building towards the southern end is the ruined base of a circular chimney with an external diameter of 1.5 metres.

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: SX68SE329
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1339586
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 34499

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHIMNEY (Built, XIX to Edwardian - 1885 AD (Between) to 1905 AD (Between))
• MINE BUILDING (Built, XIX to Edwardian - 1885 AD (Between) to 1905 AD (Between))
• MINERS CHANGING HOUSE (Built, XIX to Edwardian - 1885 AD (Between) to 1905 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Building shown on 19th century map.

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

Building shown on early 20th century map divided into four rooms.

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

A photograph of the building with the chimney still standing to full height appears in Greeves 1986.

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

Site '5' at 'Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines' is a long narrow building divided into five rooms containing the blacksmith's shop and a miners' 'dry'.

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

(30/03/2001) A ruined building sited at SX 6819 8095, believed to be the remains of the carpenter's shop at the 19th-20th century Birch Tor and Vitifer Mine. The building is located on a level area between the dry (Monument HOB UID 1339586) to the west and the main accommodation block (Monument HOB UID 1344295) to the east. It is 4.6m wide and consists of two compartments the larger of which is 9.8m long. The second compartment, probably a later extension, is 3.2m long. The south wall stands to a maximum height of 2.2m though all other walls are much lower. 3.5m to the north of the building is a shallow, stone-lined pit of 1.7m by 1.7m. A ruined building sited at SX 6819 8095, believed to be the remains of the carpenter's shop at the 19th-20th century Birch Tor and Vitifer Mine. The building is located on a level area between the dry (Monument HOB UID 1339586) to the west and the main accommodation block (Monument HOB UID 1344295) to the east. It is 4.6m wide and consists of two compartments the larger of which is 9.8m long. The second compartment, probably a later extension, is 3.2m long. The south wall stands to a maximum height of 2.2m though all other walls are much lower. 3.5m to the north of the building is a shallow, stone-lined pit of 1.7m by 1.7m.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

Building shown on modern mapping.

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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