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Summary

A tin stamping mill situated on the east side of the Redwater Valley floor within Soussons Plantation at Golden Dagger Tin Mine. The Ordnance Survey first edition map of 1809 depicts the stamping mill adjacent to a small cottage in the vicinity of the later Dinah's House (MDV46685). This site was omitted on all later maps, suggesting an early abandonment. An archaeological field survey in 2002 recorded a very ruinous wheelpit sited west of the track at the foot of a slope, just north of Dinah's House. The masonry is incomplete but both ends survive. A faint level earthwork terrace on the north side of the wheel marks the position of a probable dressing floor.

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: SX67NE240
• National Monuments Record: SX68SE404
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1362184
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1469304
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 34499

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUDDLE (Constructed, Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• ENGINE HOUSE (Constructed, Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• MACHINE BED (Constructed, Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• STAMPING MILL (Constructed, Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• WHEEL PIT (Constructed, Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• DRESSING FLOOR (Constructed, XIX - 1809 AD (Between) to 1809 AD (Between))
• WATERMILL (Constructed, XIX to Unknown - 1809 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Building with four divisions shown on 19th century map with a small rectangular building and a small square building to the east.

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

Buildings shown on early 20th century map.

Broughton, D. G., 1968-1969, The Birch Tor & Vitifer tin mining complex (Article in Serial). SDV291528.

Depicted by Broughton 1968.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 21-2, Map 24 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Site '6' at Golden Dagger Tin Mine with the concrete foundations of the engine house and the site of the dressing floors. Water for the turbine and buddles was provided through an iron pipe emerging from the bank below the trees, taken off the Redwater half a kilometre upstream. Three buddles complete with central cones or 'spreaders' can be found nearby. Two of these are in an excellent state of preservation with drains for carrying the 'tailings' down to the river.

Cranstone, D. + Hedley, I., 1995, Monuments Protection Programme: The Tin Industry Step 3 Site Assessments, Devon 56c (Report - non-specific). SDV357946.

Structural remains of a base and machine beds for turbine, gas and diesel engines at Golden Dagger Tin Mine. To the north and west lie the remains of a late dressing floor with well-preserved round buddles, a stamping wheelpit, and the ruins of miner's housing (Dinah's House, SX67NE). The OS notes a stamping mill at the site of Dinah's House in the early 19th century.

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

(25/07/2002) A tin stamping mill at Golden Dagger Mine on the east side of the Redwater valley floor within Soussons Plantation. On the 1st edition OS map of 1809 a stamping mill is marked adjacent to a small cottage in the vicinity of the later Dinah's House (Monument HOB UID 1362168). This site was omitted on all later maps, suggesting an early abandonment (though it is marked by Broughton). The very ruinous wheelpit is sited west of the track at the foot of a slope, just north of Dinah's House. The masonry is incomplete but both ends survive. A concrete feature at the top of the slope by the track may be later and not associated with the wheel. A faint level earthwork terrace on the north side of the wheel marks the position of a probable dressing floor. The area is now very boggy.

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

Five adjoining buildings shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7390 - Archaeological condition survey in Soussons Woods
• EDV7402 - Archaeological condition survey in Soussons Woods
• EDV7421 - Archaeological condition survey in Soussons Woods
• EDV7431 - Woodland Survey (1989-90) at Bellever, Soussons and other woodland parcels
• EDV7139 - Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines Survey (Ref: A1/20/2001, A1/34/2002)

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