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Summary

56 hectares of intensive tin streamworking along both banks of the East Okement River between East Okement Head and East Okement Farm.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of post-Medieval or earlier tin streamworks along the East Okement River as well as remains of tinners' buildings

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX69SW59
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 831645
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX69SW/147

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STREAMWORKS (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (National Monuments Record Database). SDV221133.

Nar=sx69sw59.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/138, 5437 (Aerial Photograph). SDV229649.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, The Devon Tin Industry 1450-1750: An archaeological and historical survey, 308, 341 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV351371.

Greeves has suggested that this tinwork, or parts of it, could be the documented sites of `Bubhill' and `Sketeworke' both of which are frequently mentioned in documents between 1450 and 1596.

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

Streamworks and spoilheaps visible along both banks of the East Okement River.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1990, An Assessment of Dartmoor Tinworking, 18-19 (Report - Assessment). SDV343684.

On the East Okement River, in area known as Skit Bottom (historically known as Bubhill Combe), a stretch of river for c.1km (centred on SX 606910) has extensive workings, including good examples of 'parallel' works. Extensive documentary references to tinworking from mid 15th century to the end of the 16th century, including links with the town of Chagford. At least 1 tinners' building and part of the river channel has been artificially walled.

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

(20/09/1993) Centred SX 60659055 An area of intensive tin streamworking covering 56 hectares extends along both banks of the East Okement River between East Okement Head at SX 60958840 and East Okement Farm at SX 60619212, a total distance of 4.2 kilometres.
The northern section of the working is approximately 24 hectares in extent and has a steep scarp of up to 7m deep, along the eastern edge, marking the outer limit of the working area. Additional small cuttings at right angles to the main scarp mark the entry points of former water supplies, The scarp marking the western edge of the tinwork is generally less than 2m deep although between SX 60529080 and SX 60639120 it reaches a depth of approximately 6m. Within the working area the evidence of streaming activity is clear with spoil mounds and water diversion channels covering the valley floor. Between the ford at SX 60629103 and the northern extremity of the tinwork the mounds stand to a maximum height of approximately 3 metres. They are mostly turf-covered but with loose stone exposed in places and some have well-built, low retaining walls behind which the spoil is piled.
South of the ford the interior of the tinwork has become substantially overwhelmed by bog and although the spoil mounds are still clear, they are covered by vegetation.
In several places the mounds show a systemic layout and reveal separate phases of working. Centred at SX 60659068 on the west bank of the stream is a series of approximately twelve linear mounds of up to 30m long which are set obliquely to the stream course. An area of shorter mounds, up to 10m in length is centred at SX 60709045 adjoining the eastern scarp and set at right angles to the stream course.
A network of leats which supplied water to the streamwork, survives outside of the working area to the east. One particularly long leat (SX 68 NW 80) channelled water across Oke Tor Ridge and has its source on the River Taw. Several shorter sections of leat survive, close to the edge of the tinwork. A typical example, which is particularly well preserved extends between SX 60739100 and SX 60729138 is up to 2m wide by 0.5m deep with an upcast bank on the western side of 1.5m wide by 0.6m high. Its point of entry into the streamwork is at SX 60719132.
The most impressive section in the southern area of this working lies between SX 60808920 and SX 60958843 where a band of streamworking over 1.3km long north-south by up to 100m wide is delineated by steep escarpments of up to 8m deep in places. Within the working area is clear evidence of streaming activity where a series of spoil mounds of up to 2m in height lie approximately parallel with the stream course. At the head of the workings, centred SX 60958843, is a series of channels between 0.5m and 3m depth by up to 10m wide. These channels represent the remains of a water supply to the upper, southern section of the working, although the source of water is unclear. A shallow leat runs parallel with the working along its eastern edge between SX 60928858 and SX 60908888 and this would have supplied water to the lower, northern section. A level, rectangular depression at SX 60928878 associated with the leat, is a probable reservoir. It measures 30m long by 3.5m wide and approximately 0.8m deep. The leat exits the reservoir via a narrow opening on its northern side.
Approximately 7 hectares of the northern portion of the tinwork centred at SX 60758965 is now overwhelmed by bog with only the edge scarps being visible.
A newtake wall (SX 68 NW 104) traverses the working at right angles at SX 60858894 and is clearly of a later date.
East Okement Head, centred SX 60558840, and two further tributaries to the west, centred SX 60308890 and SX 60408955 also have evidence of streamworking along the valley floors. The remains are generally less well preserved however and they are covered quite extensively by bog, although some evidence of spoil heaps, water channels and scarped outer edges is visible in places. A small reservoir sited on the south-east ridge of East Mill Tor at SX 59958927 supplied water to one of the western sections of the working via a channel 2m wide by 0.8m deep which descends the hill for 150m, entering the working at SX 60088936. The reservoir consists of two banks The northern is 15m long by 0.8m high by a maximum of 5m wide at base. A second bank, south of the first and separated by a 2m wide sluice opening is 8m long by 0.6m high and together they form a `V' shape dam. The hollow behind the dam is up to 3m wide and has a scarp of 0.5m to the rear.
There is a cluster of tin pits centred SX 60058923. These are conical pits with crescentic spoil heaps on the downslope side and the largest has a pit diameter of 6m by 1.8m deep. The spoil heap is 5m wide by 1.0m high.
Greeves (1981) has suggested that this tinwork, or parts of it, could be the documented sites of 'Bubhill' and 'Sketeworke' both of which are frequently mentioned in documents between 1450 and 1596.

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 2003-2004, Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350801.

(24/10/2003)

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7620 - Okehampton Artillary Range
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range

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