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Summary

Remains of a small trackside building on Yennadon Common. It is on the lower (southeast) side of the Princetown Branch track bed, from which it was probably set back 1-2m. It is quite likely an old platelayers' hut.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RAILWAY BUILDING (Constructed, XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))

Full description

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015 onwards, 2015 onward Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV362959.

Wakeham, C., 2016, Report on an Audit of Archaeological Features and Structures Relating to Railways and Tramways on Dartmoor Phase 1, DR+T_GWRP_140 (Report - Assessment). SDV360397.

Building (ruin) at SX 54871 67758. Remains of a small trackside building on Yennadon Common. It is on the lower (southeast) side of the Princetown Branch track bed, from which it was probably set back 1-2m. It is quite likely an old platelayers' hut. The meagre remains comprise two roughly rectangular earthwork surfaces and part of a chimney. The northeast rectangle measures c.2.3m x c.1.1m. It is separated from the other earthwork by a gap of 0.55m. The southwest rectangle measures c.2.3m x 1.92m. From these measurements it appears that the floor surface measured c.2.3m x 3.57m. The projecting chimney was attached to the southwest end of the building and today only the furthest 0.57m is visible, although it appears to have more like 0.88m. The full 1.04m width of the chimney is still identifiable. The building stood on an earthen platform, of c.3.2m x 6.4m, built up against the lower side of the track. It was finished with a steeply sloped stone-faced revetment, composed largely of granite and c.0.9m in height. A Plymouth Corporation Water Works boundary stone (inscribed "PCWW 1917") is located c.4m from the southernmost corner of the building. Anthony Kingdom (1991) reproduced several photographs, attributed to C. Fennamore and R.C. Sambourne, which depicted the recovery train and dismantling of the railway track in 1956-1957. Two of these photographs include this hut. It is best depicted on page 99 in a photograph dated 20th February 1957. It shows the hut's projecting brick chimney, which tapered in from both sides, about 1.5m from the ground, to narrow to about half its lower width. There were no openings in that elevation, which appears to have been composed of vertical timber planks. The northwest elevation is in shadow, but appears to have had a doorway. The monopitch roof sloped down gently toward the back (southeast).
As a building, its condition is very poor, being an utter ruin and with a barely discernible outline. The remains of the building are now largely turfed over. The revetment wall of the platform on which it stood has two large gaps along its course and a gorse bush encroaching upon its northeast end.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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