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HER Number:MDV27750
Name:Tinworking remains on Water Hill

Summary

An area of intensive 19th century or earlier opencast lode tinworking covering an area of 19 hectares on the lower south-facing slope of Water Hill, bounded to the southeast by Walla Brook headwaters. An archaeological field survey in 1992 recorded seven openworks (MDV54593) with associated secondary features. Associated features include four reservoirs. Distribution channels have survived at three of the reservoirs leading from the sluice into the openworks. Water would have been supplied to the workings from Statts Brook by three separate leats. Tin prospecting pits are scattered over much the working area. The nineteenth century Birch Tor and Vitifer Mine leat, was constructed through the working area, intersecting two of the openworks.

Location

Grid Reference:SX 673 809
Map Sheet:SX68SE
Admin AreaDartmoor National Park
Civil ParishChagford
Civil ParishDartmoor Forest
DistrictWest Devon
Ecclesiastical ParishLYDFORD

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

  • National Monuments Record: SX68SE188
  • National Record of the Historic Environment: 9156223
  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/231
  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/233
  • Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/233/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

  • PROSPECTING PIT (Constructed, Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
  • RESERVOIR (Constructed, Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
  • TIN WORKS (Constructed, Post Medieval to XIX - 1540 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, 4361 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224714.

National Monuments Record, 1979, SF 1508, 000-002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV345478.

Photograph taken on 24th April 1979.

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

SX67408110 Linear openwork visible.
SX67378118 Group of trial pits visible.
SX 6737 8118 Trial pits enter Lydford parish.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(10/12/1192) An area of intensive 19th century or earlier opencast lode tinworking covering an area of 19 hectares on the lower south-facing slope of Water Hill, bounded to the southeast by Walla Brook headwaters. The openworks are depicted on Ordnance Survey six inch maps of 1883-4. An archaeological field survey in 1992 recorded seven openworks with associated secondary features. The openworks varied between 4 metres to 45 metres in width and were up to 25 metres in depth. Associated features include four reservoirs. Distribution channels have survived at three of the reservoirs leading from the sluice into the openworks. Water would have been supplied to the workings from Statts Brook by three separate leats. Tin prospecting pits are scattered over much the working area. The nineteenth century Birch Tor and Vitifer Mine leat, was constructed through the working area, intersecting two of the openworks.
See MDV54593 for openwork details.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 34-5, Map 26 Figure 26.1 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Group of 13 'pits' shown on the south side of the 'field wall' to the south-west of King's Oven.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV219155Monograph: Butler, J.. 1991. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North. Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North. Two. Paperback Volume. 34-5, Map 26 Figure 26.1.
SDV224714Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF/CPE/UK/1995. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 4361.
SDV319854Cartographic: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1985. Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England Aerial Photograph P. Cartographic.
SDV345478Aerial Photograph: National Monuments Record. 1979. SF 1508. National Monuments Record Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). 000-002.
SDV350839Report - Survey: Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England. 1987-1993. Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit. Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England Archaeological Survey. Unknown. [Mapped feature: #136580 ]

Associated Monuments

MDV54593Parent of: Opencast lode tinworking on Water Hill (Monument)
MDV103106Related to: Mead's Warren, Dartmoor (Monument)
MDV54588Related to: Tinners leat on Water Hill (Monument)

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

  • EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
  • EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

Date Last Edited:Apr 4 2022 10:13AM