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Summary

Hook Lake and Stony Bottom streamworks covering 18 hectares mentioned from the 17th century

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of the early 20th century China Clay works at Redlake Mine and the associated railway, as well as prehistoric remains on Ugborough Moor

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/74
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STREAMWORKS (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Disturbance along 'Hook Lake' and 'Stony Bottom' shown on 19th century map.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 399 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Royal Air Force, 1946, CPE/UK 1890, 4278 (Aerial Photograph). SDV140289.

Photograph taken on 10th December 1946.

Hankin, C. F., 1980, Streamworks at Red Lake (Worksheet). SDV145374.

Site visited on 16th December 1980 at Hook Lake (Stony Bottom). Early 17th century record of tin at 'Little Hokelake'. Crossing knew of a lease dated 1661 referring to "a certain tynnwork called, or known, by the name of Hooke Lake, situated within the parishes of Brent and Ugborough. ". Waste heaps cover a wide area on both banks of the stream known as Hook Lake, and most of the stream eastward into Ugborough parish shows signs of tin workings. Evidence of medieval 'burrows' near the Erme where the stream is better known as 'Stony Bottom'. There is a blowing house near the confluence of the stream with the river erme.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, Early Dartmoor Tin Records (Unknown). SDV144619.

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

Streamwork, with extensive spoilheaps, extends between SX64406500 and SX63756500.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Streamwork visible on aerial photograph.

Newman, P., 2018, Erme Valley Survey data (GIS and Excel spreadsheet) (Cartographic). SDV361913.

Newman, P., 2018, The Upper Erme Valley, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: An Archaeological Survey, Appendix 1, Figure 3 (Report - Survey). SDV362921.

Approximately 18 hectares of tin streamworks follows the course of Hook Lake and Stony Bottom, an eastern tributary of the River Erme. The main streamwork is up to 110 metres wide and runs west to east for 1.23 kilometres towards Quickbeam Hill, while a southern branch of 830 metres long diverges from about halfway along the first, aligned approximately to the south-east. Much of the tinwork has a clear perimeter, comprising a well-defined scarp of up to 5 metres deep. This is particularly well pronounced at the lower (western) and upper (eastern) end of the main tinwork, whereas the central section is more marshy and the edges are less well defined. The working area of the streamwork contains the usual evidence of low linear spoil heaps, pits and channels, mostly turf covered. This tinwork has not been fully dated but, where available, documentation for tinworks of this type elsewhere on Dartmoor, would suggest a likely operational date between the 12th and 17th centuries and an isolated reference to a tinwork called ‘Hokelake’ in Harford parish is known from the early 17th century.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8082 - Survey of the Upper Erme Valley

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