See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Medieval and later streamworks and openworks along the River Swincombe.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Walling remains of a Bronze Age settlements north-west of Fox Tor Farm, as well as medieval or later streamworking, open cuts and tinners' buildings

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX 67 SW 108
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SW/241
• Pastscape: 910357
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STREAMWORK (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV256557.

Aph=raf cpe uk 2149/3430(11/6/1947).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV256558.

Greeves, t. /an assessment of dartmoor tin working/(1990)19/in smr. Streamwork closely associated with a tinners' building which contains a unique datestone of 1753; therefore likely to be of mid 18c date (greeves).

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

SX 6260 7140 Streamwork, with spoilheaps, visible on 1947 aerial and recorded along the banks of the River Swincombe.

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

English Heritage, 2005, Industrial Survey Information (Report - Survey). SDV346396.

National Monument Record, 2016, Pastscape (Website). SDV359354.

The remains extend south from Fox Tor Mires along the courses of Swincombe Stream, Tor Girt Stream and Fox Tor Stream and Swincombe valley. Streamworking debris litters the adjacent plains and characteristic parallel banks of upcast gravel are visible at SX 62387037. South of Fox Tor newtake wall (SX 66 NW 65) the hillside steepens and deep openworks extend to Swincombe Head and Nakers Hill. (Hamilton Jenkins, A. K., Mines of Devon Volume 1 1974, 90-3)
There is litle doubt of a medieval origin to the streamworks. Hamilton Jenkin (1974) notes that the area of Fox Tor Mires had been worked for centuries (Nun's Cross Mine, a little to the W, is recorded in 1343). Greeves (Greeves, T. A. P., The Devon Tin Industry 1450-1750, 1981, PhD Thesis Exeter University) quotes a 1625 record of Colbeame tin work, tentatively identified with the Ordnance Survey 6 inch "Old Tin Works" at SX 612679, immediately south-west of the Fox Tor newtake. He also names five other workings in the vinicinty of Fox Tor, all mentioned in the early 17th century (citing Probert, S. A. J., Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments in England Field Investigation, 08/06/1988).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8146 - Royal Commission Survey at Down Ridge and Swincombe
• EDV8630 - Fox Tor Newtake Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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