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Summary

Blowing house recorded by Greeves (1981) and Butler (1993) and surveyed in 1994 and 2018. Ruined tin mill sited at the foot of the low scarp which defines the eastern limit of streamworks in the Erme valley at its confluence with Upper Dry Lake. The building, with well-built moorstone walls, has been cut into the slope with the eastern wall taking the form of a revetment while the other walls, with the exception of the western side which is ruined to ground level, are embanked. The building is an irregular rectangle of approximately 8.0 metres by 5.5 metres and up to 1.0 metre high. A short leat, with its source 120 metres further up the Erme appears to be associated with the building and the embanked south wall might be interpreted as a leat embankment. Although Newman found no wheelpit during his 2018 survey visit (when the interior was described as being filled with rushes), Greeves records the mill 'appears to have an internal wheelpit. Of particular interest is that it has a dressing floor with two buddle pits on its west side' during his 1984 survey work.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Structural and earthwork remains of Medieval or later tin streamworks on the River Erme and its tributaries, Blacklane Brook, Dry Lake and Red Lake, as well as blowing houses and tinners buildings and possible prehistoric enclosures at Wollake

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66NW116
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1063737
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/88

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BLOWING HOUSE (Constructed, Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• LEAT (Constructed, Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• TIN MILL (Constructed, Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• WHEEL PIT (Constructed, Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

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

U-shaped building shown on 19th century map.

Crossing, W., 1890 - 1891, Western Antiquary, 101 (Monograph). SDV154702.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, List of Doubtful Devon Tin Mills c1450-c1750, No 15 (Un-published). SDV336693.

Greeves, T. + Robinson, R., 1984, Survey of possible tinners' building at Upper Drylake (Plan - measured). SDV235041.

Site surveyed (31/08/1984) at a scale of 1:100. Tin mill at Upper Drylake. Building with possible leat leading to it. Possible tin mill.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Not visible on aerial photographs.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(Visited 10/11/1994) Probable blowing house close to Dry Lake Ford on the north bank of the Erme at SX 6337 6636, at the edge of an area of streamworks. Both Greeves (1981) and Butler (1993) note this site as a possible tin mill.
The building measures 6.0 metres north to south by 5.4 metres; its walls, of coursed granite blocks, are 1.3 metres wide and 0.8 metres high. A low scarp forms the south wall. There is no obvious entrance. In the north-west corner is a rubble filled pit, 3.8 metres long and 1.2 metres wide, this is probably the remains of the wheel pit. Close to this, set in the north-west corner, is a probable hearth, 1.0 metre wide and 0.7 metres deep. A dry leat channel, 1.0 metre wide and 0.6 metres deep, runs for some 70 metres north of the building.

Greeves, T. A. P., 2017, Lodges and Mills: The Field Archaeology of Tin Accommodation, Stamping and Smelting on Dartmoor, 68, Table 1, No 58 (Article in Serial). SDV363284.

Dry Lake (Upper) tin mill included in list of early (pre-1750) tin mills on Dartmoor. SX 6336 6636.

Newman, P., 2018, Erme Valley Survey data (GIS and Excel spreadsheet) (Cartographic). SDV361913.

SX 263373 66371 A possible ruined tin mill sited at the foot of the low scarp which defines the eastern limit of streamworks in the Erme valley at its confluence with Upper Dry Lake. The building, with well-built moorstone walls, has been cut into the slope with the eastern wall taking the form of a revetment while the other walls, with the exception of the western side which is ruined to ground level, are embanked. The building is an irregular rectangle of approximately 8.0 metres by 5.5 metres and up to 1.0 metre high.
A short leat, with its source 120 metres further up the Erme appears to be associated with the building and the embanked south wall might be interpreted as a leat embankment. However, no wheelpit or associated artefacts have been recorded at this site. The interior is currently filled with rushes.

Newman, P., 2018, Erme Valley Survey data (GIS and Excel spreadsheet) (Cartographic). SDV361913.

Newman, P., 2018, The Upper Erme Valley, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: An Archaeological Survey (Report - Survey). SDV362921.

A possible ruined tin mill sited at the foot of the low scarp which defines the eastern limit of streamworks in the River Erme valley at its confluence with Upper Dry Lake. The building with well-built moorstone walls has been cut into the slope with the eastern wall taking the form of a revetment while the other walls with the exception of the western side which is ruined to ground level, are embanked. The building is an irregular rectangle of approximately 8 metres by 5.5 metres and up to 1 metre high. A short leat, with its source 120 metres further up the Erme appears to be associated with the building and the embanked south wall might be interpreted as a leat embankment. However no wheelpit or associated artefacts have been recorded at this site. The interior is currently filled with rushes.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(10/01/2020) Close by the junction of the Dry Lake with the Erme. The monument has some rush grass in its interior but would otherwise appear to be stable.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photographed 10/01/2020.

Greeves, T. A. P., 2019, Supplementary information on the Upper Erme Valley 2018 survey (Un-published). SDV363283.

Upper Dry Lake tin mill. Although suggested by Newman in his 2018 survey report as a doubtful mill, Greeves offers the following in support of the identification:
Visited 02.06.1976. Planned at 1:100 by Greeves and Robinson 31.08.1984. The mill appears to have an internal wheelpit. Of particular interest is that it has a dressing floor with two buddle pits on its west side.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8082 - Survey of the Upper Erme Valley
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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