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Summary

Remains of West Devon Works on north-east slope of Roborough Down visible on aerial at SX 5035 7020.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SW/94

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MINE (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV268098.

Aph=raf/106g/uk/1190/3204(24/2/1946).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV268099.

Des=os 6" (1907)112nw. 'west devon works (disused)' indicated on os 6" (1907) and on os 6" (1954) (os).

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

Remains of West Devon Works on north-east slope of Roborough Down visible on aerial at SX 5035 7020.

Rendell, P., 1996, Exploring the Lower Walkham Valley, 9-10 (Monograph). SDV361766.

Newman, P., 2011, Mining in the Tavy Valley, West Devon. An Assessment of Archaeological Potential, 32-32 (Report - Assessment). SDV347105.

Wheal Franco was one of the principal mines of western Dartmoor, producing both tin and copper. Pre 18th-century tin workings are present within the southern ‘Old Wheal Franco’ sett on Roborough Down at SX 5141 6847 and field investigation would undoubtedly confirm the location of others. The 19th century Wheal Franco first appears in documentation in the 1820’s and it is known that a leat was cut to the mine in 1824-5. This may represent the earliest episode of 19th-century activity as the mine is not listed in Lyson’s (1822). In 1844 the focus of the mine had moved to the new northern section where two waterwheels were powering pumps, stamps and a crusher, although three other wheels were still in place and usable on the ‘Old Mine’. All the machinery was up for sale in September 1861 and the mine had closed by January 1862.
In 1870, both of the former setts were taken on to be worked under the name of Wheal Franco Consols and reorganized a year later to form Franco Consols Tin and Copper Co but following very poor returns in 1872-3 the company went into liquidation in March 1875. The abandoned mine plan shows that the main hub of the mine was located at SX 5091 7006, to the northwest of Engine Shaft, where the pumping and hoisting waterwheel, crusher house, stamps, smithy and carpenter’s shop are illustrated. Some of these items a survived by the time of the 1885 First Edition Ordnance Survey map but the area has since been levelled as a housing development has encroached over part of it. To the south of Bedford Bridge, the Ordnance Survey map has a series of earthworks and structures annotated with West Devon Works (Brick, disused). Some shafts are also marked in this vicinity which are likely to be associated with Wheal Franco. Other details: Site No 14.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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