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Summary

Remains of a medieval or later tinner's cache, tinner's hut, or shepherd's hut situated on the right bank of the Rattlebrook. Archaeological field surveys in 1998 and 2000 recorded a rectangular structure measuring 5 metres by 2.5 metres, with walls surviving to a maximum height of 0.7 metres high. Both ends of the structure had collapsed and no entrance was recorded.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX58SE53
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1143733
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SE/41

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SHEPHERDS HUT (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• TINNERS CACHE (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• TINNERS HUT (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Greeves, T., 1980, Ruined building beside the Rattle Brook (Worksheet). SDV277838.

Visited on 26th August 1980. At SX56058382 a tinners cache: a small rectangular building tucked into the clitter on the right bank of the Rattlebrook only a short distance from Rattlebrook Foot.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 108, Map 32 (Monograph). SDV219155.

The lowest courses of a tiny tinners' hut of circa 2.5 metres square are set well back from the west bank of the Rattle Brook into the the base of the steep hillside here. That this choice of site, fairly common, had its dangers is shown by the masses blocks that have crashed down into the interior from the slopes above.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(23/06/1998) The remains of a small abandoned building cut into the foot of a steep E-facing and boulder-covered slope at SX56058386, some 400m above OD. It measures 5.0m by 2.5m internally with a tumbled dry stone wall of boulders and stones which is up to 1.7m wide and maximum 0.7m high. Both ends of the structure have collapsed and the entrance is not evident. The interior is level.
This ruined structure is probably of post-Medieval origin and may, as suggested, be a tinners building associated with the nearby tin workings or it could possibly be the remains of a shepherds hut - see Monument HOB UID 1143746. Surveyed at 1:2500 scale.

Probert, S., 2001, Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy, Devon. Integrated Land Management Plan Implementation: Archaeological Condition Baseline Survey Appendices 2-5 (Report - Survey). SDV357727.

(13/01/2001) This feature remains as described though its location, near the Rattlebrook/Tavy confluence attracts walkers and the interior contains discarded camping equipment and litter.

English Heritage, 2005, Survey Information (miscellaneous date) (Report - Survey). SDV345855.

Building shown on survey.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

Building shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV7368 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy (1998)
• EDV6663 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6664 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV6665 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area
• EDV8141 - Condition survey of the Willsworthy Training Area

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