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Summary

A pit and associated mounds, possibly the remains of a quarry or shaft associated with Wheal Sidney mine, are visible as earthwork on aerial photographs of the 1940s and digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014 on the west facing slopes immediately west of Fernhill Wood, Sparkwell.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NE/141

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) QUARRY (Early Medieval to XXI - 1066 AD to 2009 AD (Between))
• MINE SHAFT? (XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD? to 1896 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV154631.

Aph=raf 106g/uk 1190/3252-3(24/2/1946).

RCHM APP 1985, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV26818.

Quarry - area approx 0.25ha in area. Visible on 1946 raf ap.(rchm app 1985).

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

The visible earthworks correspond closely with a platform and pit features depicted on the Ordnance Survey 1880s First Edition 25inch map.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, RAF/106G/UK/1190 RP 3252-3253 27-FEB-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363067.

Earthwork mound and pit earthworks are visible.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5559 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Earthwork mound and pit earthworks are visible.

Next Perspectives, 2015-2017, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5559 31-MAY-2016 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361515.

The earthworks are obscured from view by dense tree cover.

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

The earthworks are schematically depicted.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

An irregularly shaped pit circa 20m across is visible cut into an equally irregularly shaped earthwork mound circa 70 by 50m in size, on aerial photographs of the 1940s and digital images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2014, on the west facing slopes immediately west of Fernhill Wood, Sparkwell.
The visible earthworks correspond closely with features depicted on the Ordnance Survey 1880s First Edition 25inch map. The depicted features are not annotated and have previously been interpreted as quarry earthworks.
It is probable that they are evidence of mining activity of 18th to 19th century date, associated with or part of Wheal Sidney mine, perhaps remains of a mine shaft. It is probable that the earthworks were associated with buildings depicted on the 19th century map immediately to the east.
The earthworks are obscured from view by dense tree cover on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2016 but are depicted on the current Ordnance Survey MasterMap base mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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