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Summary

Remains of a wheelpit, part of East Birch Tor Mine, situated in the upper West Webburn valley. The wheelpit is depicted on an 1852 plan of the mine and housed a waterwheel which powered pumping rods connected to pumps within Old Engine Shaft. An archaeological field survey in 2001 recorded the wheelpit, which is sunk into the ground, as partly collapsed. It measured 7.5 metres by 1.8 metres. A ruined structure adjacent to the east side of the pit which measured 3 metres by 8 metres probably accommodated the counterweights for the pumping system.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE357
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1344936
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 34499

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATER WHEEL (Constructed, XIX - 1852 AD (Between) to 1852 AD (Between))
• WHEEL PIT (Constructed, XIX - 1852 AD (Between) to 1852 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Depicted by D. G. Broughton based on a map of 1852.

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

(23/07/2001) SX 6933 8090. A wheelpit in the upper West Webburn valley, which housed a waterwheel used to power pumping rods connected to pumps sited within the underground levels at East Birch Tor Tin Mine, which is documented between 1836 and 1927. The wheelpit which is sunk into the ground is partly collapsed and the masonry of the walls is incomplete but it is likely to have measured 7.5 by 1.8m. There is a further ruined structure adjacent to the east side of the pit which measures 3m by 8m and probably accommodated the counterweights for the pumping system.
The wheelpit aligns with Dix's shaft at SX 6930 8101 and may have powered pumps there but is more likely to have powered those in Old Engine Shaft (SX 6934 8090) which is adjacent to the wheelpit to the east.

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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