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Summary

The large spoil tip known as "Big Tip" was constructed by dumping material using a tramway laid north-westwards from the main tramway through Foggintor (MDV134438). Although it is now just a grassy track, the level surface constituting the tramway track bed can be traced from SX 56616 73690 on the main Foggintor track to SX 6445 73802 at the far end of the tip - a distance of about 200m. At the south-east end it passes through a group of cottages built on that end of the spoil tip.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SPOIL HEAP (XVIII to Edwardian - 1800 AD (Between) to 1904 AD (Between))
• TRAMWAY (XVIII to Edwardian - 1800 AD (Between) to 1904 AD (Between))

Full description

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

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

Wakeham, C., 2016, Report on an Audit of Archaeological Features and Structures Relating to Railways and Tramways on Dartmoor Phase 1, DR+T_FQ_028 (Report - Assessment). SDV360397.

Track bed and spoil tip at SX 56517 73723. The large spoil tip known as "Big Tip" was constructed by dumping material using a tramway laid north-westwards from the main tramway through Foggintor (MDV134438). Although it is now just a grassy track, the level surface constituting the tramway track bed can be traced from SX 56616 73690 on the main Foggintor track to SX 6445 73802 at the far end of the tip - a distance of about 200m. At the south-east end it passes through a group of cottages built on that end of the spoil tip and including building MDV117446. A small portion of the remaining walling of the cottages stands to over 2m in height. The space between the two sets of cottage ruins is 3.2m and they appear to have been laid out to accommodate the tramway. This suggests it may have still been in situ when the cottages were built in the 1840s. There are associated gardens and various small outbuildings scattered about the spoil heap, although they appear to be of domestic origin. There is little direct physical evidence at the south-east end, but further along the spoil tip there is a c.1.3m wide indentation with apparent c.0.3m wide sleeper marks set c.1.2m apart. The marks are slightly wider nearer the outer end of the tip, being c.0.4m wide. Big Tip is over 14m in height/depth at the northwest end. The upper surface is c.40m wide at the south-east end, where the cottages were built, narrowing to just a couple of metres at the furthest north-west point.
The tip appears to be in a stable condition. The upper surface is largely covered in short grass and there are some reedy patches along the surface, but otherwise it is largely clear of encroaching vegetation. The buildings are all in a very ruinous state and further decay of the cottages is likely.

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

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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