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Summary

Ferro Ceramic Mine to the north-east of Shaugh Bridge which operated briefly in the late 19th century and was disused by 1886. It was also known as the Dewerstone Iron Mine

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork and walling remains of a 19th century Ferro Ceramic Mine to the north-east of Shaugh Bridge with two shafts and a smithy

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56SW37
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1030384
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SW/23
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SW/35

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• IRONSTONE MINE (XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Williams, J., 1862, Cornwall and Devon Mining Directory (Monograph). SDV242424.

Hunt, R., 1870-1872, Mineral Statistics (Unknown). SDV241727.

Mine, ferro ceramic. Iron china clay.

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

'Ferro Ceramic Mine (Disused)' shown on 19th century map with two 'Shafts' to the north-east and east and a 'Smithy' to the south-east. An 'Aqueduct' is shown running east-south-east to the River Plym.

Collins, J. H., 1895, Mineralogy of Cornwall and Devon (Monograph). SDV242421.

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

Mine shown as '(Disused)' on early 20th century map and the two shafts are marked 'Old Shaft'.

Collins, J. H., 1912, Observations on the West of England Mining Region (Monograph). SDV323594.

H. M. Stationary Office, 1929, Abandoned Mines (Monograph). SDV215700.

Ramsden, J. V., 1952, Notes on the Mines of Devonshire, 90, 94,Figure 1 (Article in Serial). SDV60737.

Harris, H., 1968, Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor, 208 (Monograph). SDV149229.

The ore from the Ferro Ceramic Mine was used in brick making, but was probably of poor quality.

Booker, F., 1979, Shaugh Bridge Works, File 26 (Correspondence). SDV158972.

Letter of 30 April 1979. Little is known about this mine which is largely undocumented.

Le Messurier, B., 1982, Iron Mine (Worksheet). SDV345792.

Site visited in February 1982. Extensive ruined walls situated in open woodland.

National Trust, 1984, Goodameavy, Devon, 13 (Report - Survey). SDV337035.

This mine is recorded as being a ferro-ceramic mine, an uncommon type of mine in this area. On the ground red colouration indicates waste ferrous materials and various structures are apparently associated with the ferro-ceramic processes.

Instone, E., 1995, Monuments Protection Programme: The Iron Mining Industry- Introduction to Step 3 Site Assessments (Report - non-specific). SDV357954.

Shaugh Prior Mine, is a site not of national importance. No case for statutory protection can be made (at least in the present state of knowledge). It should be noted that, as well as sites of no apparent interest and destroyed sites, this category includes sites of regional interest.

Lancaster University Archaeological Unit, 1998, Iron and Steel Industries, Monument Protection Programme (MPP), Introduction to Site Assessments (Report - Assessment). SDV362922.

Low earthwork and rubble stone remains of a small iron mining complex now under broadleaf woodland. Substantial remains of a later ferroconcrete plant survive nearby.

Archaeological remains showing the layout of the site are expected to survive.

The site is not nationally important in an Iron Mining context in isolation, however it may be Schedulable if it can be shown to be an integral part of a wider industrial complex.

Fletcher, M., 2000, The Ferro Ceramic Mine and Shaugh Brickworks, Meavy, Figure 3 (Report - Survey). SDV360342.

Scale survey 1:500 was undertaken by English Heritage in 1999 to identify the standing remains for management and conservation purposes of the Ferro Ceramic Mine and the adjoining Brickworks. Evidence of the brief industrial episode at the abandoned iron mine to the north-east of Shaugh Bridge is fossilised in the form of ruined structures and earthworks. Two shafts and their associated adits were identified along with the smithy and working area. The origins of the mine are unknown but authority 'to mine and search' for iron was granted in a lease issued to the Ferro Ceramic Company in 1870. The terms of the lease and the assets of The Dewerstone Iron Mine, as it was then called, are described in an auction inventory of 1883. It was shown as 'disused' by 1886. The good quality iron ore was apparently exported while the inferior iron ore was used in the manufacture of bricks at the adjoining brickworks.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

'Mine (disused)' shown on modern mapping with a 'Shaft (disused)' shown 75 metres to the north-east.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 27/09/2021 (Website). SDV364039.

Summary description:
The abandoned iron mine and the adjacent ruins of the brick and tile manufacturing works located north east of Shaugh Bridge represents a unique survival of two late 19th century industries. Evidence of the brief industrial episode here is in the form of ruined structures and earthworks. These include the remains of one, probably two kilns and their associated buildings, a wheelpit and leat, rectangular stone lined pits, building footings, adits and in-filled mine shafts. Authority 'to mine and search' for iron was granted in a lease issued to the Ferro Ceramic Company in 1879. The terms of this lease and the assets of The Dewerstone Iron Mine, as it was then called, are described in an auction inventory dated 1883. The fate of the works after this date is not known but it seems likely that it was soon dismantled because it was disused by 1886.
Full description(s):
(SX 5335 6360). In November 1994, a field observation was undertaken by RCHME of a C19th and C20th industrial complex at Shaugh Bridge, in the course of unrelated fieldwork nearby. (1)
At the confluence of the rivers Plym and Meavy are the remains of a ferro-ceramic mine and brick kiln in operation from 1880-83. The remains include adits and shafts, leats and a wheel pit, settling tanks and a length of railway track, which allowed the brick kiln to be loaded and unloaded continuously. (2,3)
Various other buildings, the foundations of which survive are shown on the Ordnance Survey First and Second Editions. (4,5)
The abandoned iron mine and the adjacent ruins of the brick and tile manufacturing works located north east of Shaugh Bridge represents a unique survival of two late 19th century industries. Evidence of the brief industrial episode here is fossilised in the form of ruined structures and earthworks. These include the remains of one, probably two kilns and their associated buildings, a wheelpit and leat, rectangular stone-lined pits, building footings, adits and in-filled mine shafts. The site was investigated and surveyed at 1:500 scale by English Heritage, Exeter Office, in the Autumn of 1999 for the National Trust. The origins of the mine are not known, but authority 'to mine and search' for iron was granted in a lease issued to the Ferrio Ceramic Company in 1879. The terms of this lease and the assets of The Dewerstone Iron Mine, as it was then called, are described in an auction inventory dated 1883. The fate of the works after this date is not known but it seems likely that it was soon dismantled because it was disused by 1886. A revolutionary type of tunnel kiln was installed circa 1880 and there is documentary evidence to substantiate the existence of a tile kiln. A direct link with the clay drys (SX56SW38) as one source of the raw materials for the brickworks is postulated. (6-8)
Sources:
Ref Title (& comments) Year SoR Pages Volume Notes
The Ferro Ceramic Mine and Shaugh Brickworks/report
(1) Field Investigators Comments RCHME: Field Observation on SX 56 SW 37
(2) VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION Le Messurier B 'Goodameavy' 1986 National Trust leaflet
(3) VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION Owens M 1994 'Industries beneath Dewer' Dartmoor Magazine 35, 16-18
(4) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)
Default value used to record large numbers of archive items which are not separately catalogued. See Monument Recording Guidelines for details of use. OS 1886 First Edtiton 25-inch map sheet 118.2
(5) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)
Default value used to record large numbers of archive items which are not separately catalogued. See Monument Recording Guidelines for details of use. OS 1906 Second Edition 25-inch map sheet 118.2
(6) VIRTUAL CATALOGUE ENTRY TO SUPPORT NAR MIGRATION Fletcher M 01-APR-2000 English Heritage Field Investigation
(8) English Heritage Monuments Protection Programme Industrial Monuments Assessment, Step 3 Reports
As received from English Heritage. Several reports on Industrial Archaeology by industry produced between 1995 and 2000. Instone E, for the Monuments Protection Programme 1995: The Iron Mining Industry, Volume Two

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7345 - The Ferro Ceramic Mine and Shaugh Brickworks, Meavy
• EDV7370 - Survey of the charcoal-burning platforms at Goodameavy Woods
• EDV8730 - Shaugh Bridge and North Wood: English Heritage Field Survey Project

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