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Summary

Earthwork remains of post medieval tinworks to the east of Blackbrook River. Archaeological field surveys in 1994 and 2002 recorded a complex of pits and openworks comprising two lines of pits, openworks and associated spoil heaps. The smallest pits measure about 2 metres in diameter and 0.8 metre deep, while the largest have diameters of up to 10 metres and depths of up to 2 metres. The most extensive openwork measures 50 metres in length, 20 metres in width, and up to 8 metres deep and has spoil heaps on its northern and southern sides. Several channels, on average 4 metres wide and 0.3 metres deep, lie between the two lines of features. The density and size of the tin pits suggests that they represent lodeback works, following the line of a lode.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of Medieval or later streamworking and 19th century Naphtha Tramway and granite quarries north and west of Princetown Prison

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX57NE97
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1065188
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57NE/101
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• TIN WORK (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 2474 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

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

Two lines of densely packed trial pits are visible on the 1946 aerial photograph lying against the contours on the south-east slope of Black Dunghill.

Austin, D. + Gerrard, G. A. M. + Greeves, T. A. P., 1989, Tin and Agriculture in the Middle Ages and beyond: Landscape Archaeology in St. Neot Parish, Cornwall, 50 (Article in Serial). SDV249953.

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

(16/09/1994) A complex of tin pits and openworks some 550m long and up to 90m wide lies to the east of the Blackbrook River between NGR SX 5798576518 and SX 5850576397. It consists of two lines of pits, openworks and their associated spoil heaps. The smallest pits are about 2.0m in diameter and 0.8m deep, while the largest are some 10m in diameter and up to 2.0m deep. The most extensive openwork is at NGR SX 5825076470 and measures 50m long, 20m wide, and up to 8.0m deep. It has spoil heaps on both its northern and southern sides. Shallow, linear features, (such as those at NGR SX 5808776510 which measure 16m long, 4.0m wide and 0.6m deep), also occur within the complex. Several channels, on average 4.0m wide and 0.3m deep, lie between the two lines of features. The density and size of the tin pits suggests that they represent lodeback works, following the line of a lode.

Probert, S. A. J., 2002, Dartmoor Prison Farm, Devon. An Archaeological Survey and Evaluation, 4, fig (Report - Survey). SDV364452.

[1065188] SX 5824 7643 A large complex of tin pits running for some 550m west-northwest to east-south-east on Black Dunghill. Arranged in two lines, the pits measures between 2.0m and 10.0m in diameter and are interspersed with later opencast workings, the largest of which measures 50m long and 8.0m deep with rock cut sides in places.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 2015-2017, 2015-2017 Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV361462.

Visible.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8714 - Survey of Dartmoor Prison Farm (Ref: AI//37/2002)
• EDV8813 - Archaeological and historical investigation of Peat Cutting on North-Western Dartmoor

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