See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

A Medieval or later shelter, possibly a tinner's hut, situated within streamworks near the confluence of Blacklane Brook. An archaeological field survey in 1994 recorded a crudely constructed structure comprising several massive boulders capped by roughly coursed boulder walls surviving to a maximum height of 1.6 metres. The interior measured on average 2.3 metres by 1.7 metres with an entrance in the southeast end. No internal features were visible in the rubble strewn interior.

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: SX66NW121
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1063759
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/14/2
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/89

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TIN MILL? (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)
• TINNERS HUT (Constructed, Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))
• SHELTER (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 347 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Worth, R. H., 1933, Blowing Houses in the Valleys of the Sheepstor Brook, the Meavy, the Erme and the Avon, 316 (Article in Serial). SDV235818.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX66NW1, Plan (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV222749.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX66NW1, SX66NW1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV222749.

(20/8/1977). Small rectangular building, 3.7 metres by 2.3 metres internally, on east bank of stream 30 metres north of the blowing house. Walls 0.7 metres thick, of coursed small boulders with protecting banks on south and west sides, are in fair condition. Doorway 0.8 metres wide in east wall, at north-east angle. Probably a tinners hut.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, List of Doubtful Devon Tin Mills c1450-c1750, No 16 (Un-published). SDV336693.

Possible tin mill on left bank of Ducks Pool Stream. Marked on Ordnance Survey 6" map of 1968 as "Blowing House" but there is no evidence to support this status.

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

(10/11/1994) SX 62966769. A crudely constructed shelter amongst streamworking remains near the confluence of Blacklane Brook and the unnamed stream starting at Ducks pool. The structure is based on several massive boulders which are capped by roughly coursed boulder walls a maximum of 1.6m high in all. The irregular interior measures on average 2.3m NW to SE by 1.7m with an entrance in the SE end. No internal features are visible in the rubble strewn interior. The origin and function of this feature are unclear though it may be allied to the blowing house and other tinners buildings (Monument HOB UID 441565) immediately to the south.

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

Building shown on survey.

Newman, P., 2018, The Upper Erme Valley, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: An Archaeological Survey, Appendix 1 (Report - Survey). SDV362921.

A ruined rectangular building located within the large area of tin streamworks on the east side of Duck’s Pool Stream, 130 metres above its junction with Blacklane Brook, is a possible tinners’ building, or lodge, for which a post-medieval date may be assumed, though it could possibly be earlier. The roughly coursed stone walls are tumbled and spread but measure approximately 0.7 metres thick and survive to an average of 0.5 metres high. The internal dimensions are 2.3 metres by 3.8 metres. The position of the entrance is unclear.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

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

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