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Summary

Remains of two wheelpits and associated features which form part of East Birch Tor Mine which was operational from 1836. An archaeological field survey in 1990 recorded wheelpit A as measuring 9.5 metres long, 1.9 metres wide and 2.7 metres deep. It was built of granite blocks, some of which were drill-split. The wheel was probably served by a leat (Monument HOB UID 917805) which ends 17 metres to the northwest. Part of the tail race survives as a shallow U-shaped channel, 3 metres wide and 0.6 metres deep flanked along its east side by a bank up to 6.4 metres wide and 1.5m high. It drained into the river. A terraced, rectangular platform measuring about 8 metres by 4 metres is on the west side of the wheelpit. This has been interpreted as the site of a cover building for machinery driven by the wheel. Another wheel pit was identified immediately west of wheelpit A . It comprises a long, rectangular depression 16 metres long, between 4 metres and 5.6 metres wide and up to 1.2m deep. A pump rod gulley (Monument HOB UID 917771), although not traceable until 240m to the north is aligned exactly on wheelpit A and it seems that this wheel was constructed to power pump rods draining the mine.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021394: Medieval strip fields, tinworks, prehistoric settlements, and a cairn on the lower western slopes of Hamel Down

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67NE103
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 915375

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MINE BUILDING (Constructed, XIX - 1836 AD (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))
• TAIL RACE (Constructed, XIX - 1836 AD (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))
• WATER WHEEL (Constructed, XIX - 1836 AD (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))
• WHEEL PIT (Constructed, XIX - 1836 AD (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Broughton, D. G., 1968-1969, Unknown Title, 25-49 (Article in Serial). SDV291528.

National Monuments Record, 1977, SX6980, 1/33-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV245035.

Visible on aerial photographs.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, P. Pattison (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(25/04/1990) SX 6946 8000. Two wheelpits and associated structures, probably built in the 19th century, situated on low-lying, flat ground on the west bank of the West Webburn River.
A) SX 6946 8000. An impressive north-south aligned wheelpit 9.5m long, 1.9m wide and at least 2.7m deep, partially filled with scrap metal and rubbish. Large granite blocks, some drill-split, are built in random unmortared courses to give vertical long sides and battered ends (0.7m to visible depth at the north end and 0.5m on the south). The north end is of slightly different build using smaller stones, more carefully coursed. The wheel was served probably by a leat (Monument HOB UID 917805) which ends 17 metres to the northwest on the edge of a steep slope overlooking the wheelpit.
B) SX 6945 8000. Adjacent to A on the west side is a terraced, rectangular platform aligned approx. north to south, measuring about 8m by 4m internally and defined by scarps 0.5m at the ends and 1.3m high at the back. It is probably the site of a cover building for machinery driven by the wheel.
C) SX 6945 7999. Immediately west of the south end of A is a long, rectangular earthwork depression aligned east to west, 16m long, 4-5.6m wide and up to 1.2m deep. It has steeply sloping sides but no stone is visible. 25m to the west a leat (Monument HOB UID 917844) ends on the edge of the steep slope overlooking the site, suggesting strongly that the depression is a wheelpit, earlier than A and probably dismantled.
D) SX 6945 7999. Immediately south of A is a sub rectangular sunken chamber 6m long, 3.2m wide and 1.3m deep, its sides vertically revetted with coursed granite masonry of uniformly small size. It appears to have been inserted between A and tail race E. If it was, at some time contemporary with A, spent water would have led directly into it. Its purpose is unknown.
E) SX 6947 7997. Part of the tail race from wheelpit A is visible running southeast from D as a shallow U-shaped channel 3m wide and 0.6m deep flanked along its east side by a massive earthen bank 3.5-6.4m wide and 1.5m high. It drained into the river.
The complex is surrounded by waste heaps and is built over earlier streamworking (Monument HOB UID 915166). A pump rod gulley (Monument HOB UID 917771), although not traceable until 240m to the north is aligned exactly on wheelpit A and it seems that this wheel was constructed to power pump rods draining 19th century deep mining on the East Birch Tor Mine at Headland Warren one kilometre to the north. Drawings date to circa 1852 show the approximate line of the pump rods (1). One of the leats (Monument HOB UID 917805) serving the complex is cut through at its north end by later removal of tin deposits at the foot of Scudley Beam (Monument HOB UID 917666). Nothing is shown in 1886 by which time East Birch Tor Mine was disused (1886 map).
Surveyed at 1:2500. See plan with SX 67 NE 111 - (Monument HOB UID 915469).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project
• EDV8658 - Challacombe, Duchy Farms Survey

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