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Summary

The moor is often referred to as Greening's Clay Moor after the name of the family who developed a tobacco pipe clay works here in the 17th century and built up a flourishing trade shipping clay out of Bideford. The industry declined at the end of the 18th century; in 1822 it was reported that the clay pits at Peters Marland had not been worked for nearly 20 years which appears to fit with the decline in pipe making and also of Bideford as a port. The construction of the Rolle Canal improved matters and by 1829 if not before clay was again being shipped out by sea. A light railway was subsequently built right into the clay workings and by the late 19th century quantities of clay were being exported. Although the clay was now being put to many uses the North Devon Clay Company, who had succeeded the earlier owners, still advertised their produced as the 'best tobacco-pipe clay'.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS51SW/24

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CLAY WORKINGS (Early Medieval to XXI - 1066 AD to 2009 AD)

Full description

Usher, W. A. E., 1879, On the deposits of Petrockstow, in Devon, 432 (Article in Serial). SDV21207.

There are many clay pits on the moor as a result of quarrying and also a 24.4 metre deep shaft, filled up in November 1877.

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

Marland Brick and Tile Works shown on Clay Moor. A number of old clay pits are marked.

Collection of Paul Stanley Hopes, 1880-1920, Peters Marland Clayworks (Ground Photograph). SDV364489.

Series of photos showing the cutting of ballclay and the kilns, winches, shaftheads and railway.

Caulfield-Brown, P., 1967, Proceedings at the 105th annual meeting, 29 (Article in Serial). SDV19699.

At Peters Marland there is a ball-clay quarry belonging to North Devon Clay Company. It is one of only four ball-clay quarries or mines in the world.

Messenger, M. J., 1982, North Devon Clay, 1-87, plans, photos (Monograph). SDV337811.

The Peters Marland/Merton clay was exploited in the late 18th century (though the origins of quarrying here are possibly 16th or 17th century), and again (following a period of abandonment) in the mid 19th century. By 1845 a brick kiln had been established. The works gradually expanded southwards, with Bury Moor being leased from Lord Clinton in circa 1892, and Grange Moor being exploited in the 1900's. Clay was dug mainly from pits in 19th century, though shaft mining became dominant in late 19th/early 20th century. The book traces the development of the industry, its ownership and management to the present day, providing plans and photos. An important feature was the Torrington and Marland Light Railway.

Griffith, F. M., 1983, Clay Moor Works, Peters Marland (Ground Photograph). SDV21210.

Site visit 22nd February 1983. The clay is now being excavated from two large open pits, and traces of former quarrying are largely submerged under waste tips or dense bracken and scrub. Occasional hollows representing earlier clay pits are visible, and also areas of subsidence around old shafts.

Grant, A. + Jemmett, D., 1985, Pipes and Pipemaking in Barnstaple, Devon, 482-488 (Article in Serial). SDV354868.

The moor is often referred to as Greening's Clay Moor after the name of the family who developed a tobacco pipe clay works here in the 17th century and built up a flourishing trade shipping clay out of Bideford. The industry declined at the end of the 18th century; in 1822 it was reported that the clay pits at Peters Marland had not been worked for nearly 20 years which appears to fit with the decline in pipe making and also of Bideford as a port. The construction of the Rolle Canal improved matters and by 1829 if not before clay was again being shipped out by sea. A light railway was subsequently built right into the clay workings and by the late 19th century quantities of clay were being exported. Although the clay was now being put to many uses the North Devon Clay Company, who had succeeded the earlier owners, still advertised their produced as the 'best tobacco-pipe clay'.

Unattributed, Unknown, 3518b (Record Office Collection). SDV21209.

There are about 130 documents in the Devon Record Office concerned with the management of the mines from the mid 19th century onwards. They show the clay being used for a variety of uses, pottery, bricks, tiles etc. There are also late 19th century plans of the works.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV19699	Article in Serial: Caulfield-Brown, P.. 1967. Proceedings at the 105th annual meeting. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 99. Hardback Volume. 29.
SDV21207	Article in Serial: Usher, W. A. E.. 1879. On the deposits of Petrockstow, in Devon. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 11. Digital. 432.
SDV21209	Record Office Collection: Unattributed. Unknown. 3518b. 3518b. Unknown.
SDV21210	Ground Photograph: Griffith, F. M.. 1983. Clay Moor Works, Peters Marland. Slide.
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV337811	Monograph: Messenger, M. J.. 1982. North Devon Clay. North Devon Clay. Paperback Volume. 1-87, plans, photos.
SDV354868	Article in Serial: Grant, A. + Jemmett, D.. 1985. Pipes and Pipemaking in Barnstaple, Devon. The Archaeology of the Clay Tobacco Pipe IX: More Pipes From the Midlands and Southern England. BAR British Series 146. A4 Stapled + Digital. 482-488.
SDV364489	Ground Photograph: Collection of Paul Stanley Hopes. 1880-1920. Peters Marland Clayworks. Collection of Paul Stanley Hopes. Photograph (Paper) + Digital.
	Linked images:6

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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