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Summary

The remains of a ruinous two-roomed structure lies on the western flank of Little Trowlesworthy Tor. It consists of two adjoining, though apparently not interconnected, rectangular rooms each measuring 3.1m by 5.0m. There are no obvious internal features. The northern room is open to the east though there is no obvious entrance to the southern room.
This structure is possibly related to the quarry at Little Trowlesworthy Tor, some 350m to the east.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1019084: Partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and post-medieval warren structures on the western slope of Little and Great Trowlesworthy Tors

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SE220
• National Monuments Record: SX56SE245
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1358743
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1362120
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/240
• Old SAM Ref: 24233

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BLACKSMITHS WORKSHOP (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• BUILDING (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• DORMITORY (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Smithy 'shown on 19th century map as a small rectangular building to the north-west of a Prehistoric settlement on Trowlesworthy Warren with a track to the north-west

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

Rectangular building with a central partition shown on early 20th century map to the north-west of a Prehistoric 'Enclosure'.

Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor, 139-40 (Un-published). SDV150434.

Site visited on 14th October 1966 . Very scattered ruins of the smithy and quarry workers dormitory. Worked by John Freeman Sons and Co. of Penryn until the 1880's. Demolished by local farmer to build his shippon.

Price, D. G., 1977, Settlement at Trowlesworthy Warren, 49 (Article in Serial). SDV150433.

Small rectangular structure called "The Smithy" on the 1866 map, on Trowlesworthy Warren. Still clearly visible though in ruins. According to the last warrener it was a combined smithy and dormitory for the men working the Little Trowlesworthy Tor Quarry. Dismantled in the 1880s when the quarry closed.

Price, D. G., 1980, The Moorland Plym, 81-93 (Article in Serial). SDV254604.

Butler, J., 1994, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Three - The South-West, 156, Figure 51.1 (Monograph). SDV137656.

'Ruined Foundations' shown to the north-west of Prehistoric Enclosure C. The substantial heap of rubble covers the foundations of a building possibly associated with the quarry on the summit of the Tor.

Thackray, C., 1994, The Upper Plym Valley: the management of an historic landscape, 87, 102. 367 (Report - non-specific). SDV143510.

'The Smithy' a two compartment structure which may have been the smithy and dormitory for workers at Little Trowlesworthy quarry until the 1880s. The central dividing wall is the most complete standing to 2 metres high with some coursed masonry which may have been a gable wall. A gap in the east side of the northern compartment may have been an entrance. Northern compartment 4.5 by 3.9 metres and southern compartment 9.2 by 6.6n metres with walls up to 2 metres high.

Probert, S. A. J. + Fletcher, M. J., 2002, Plym Valley survey (Report - Survey). SDV350782.

(05/02/2002) SX 57346456. The remains of a ruinous two-roomed structure lies on the western flank of Little Trowlesworthy Tor. It consists of two adjoining, though apparently not interconnected, rectangular rooms each measuring 3.1m by 5.0m. There are no obvious internal features. The northern room is open to the east though there is no obvious entrance to the southern room.
This structure is possibly related to the quarry at Little Trowlesworthy Tor, some 350m to the east.

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

Rubble spread visible on aerial photograph with southern wall quite clear.

Ordnance Survey, 2019, MasterMap 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362729.

Feature shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website (Website). SDV364039.

(09/05/2001) SX 574643. The remains of a building, believed to be post medieval in date and often referred to as 'The Smithy'. It may have been the smithy and dormitory for workers at Little Trowlesworthy quarry. The building survives as a two-roomed structure with coursed masonry walls. Scheduled ( nglish Heritage Scheduling amendment).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7369 - Survey of Granite Loading Bays at Trowlesworthy, Devon
• EDV8148 - The Upper Plym Valley: The Management of an Historic Landscape
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.