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Summary

Eylesbarrow Tin Mine operated between 1814 and 1852 and was spread over a large area. Earlier exploitation of the area dated from at least the 12th century and may have originated in the Prehistoric period. Alternate name; Wheal Ruth.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021055: Eylesbarrow Tin Mine and associated remains
• Scheduled Monument 1010669: Part of Eylesbarrow watershed reave
• Scheduled Monument 1010658: Part of Eylesbarrow watershed reave
• Scheduled Monument 1013474: Two enclosures and a length of the Eylesbarrow watershed reave 800m WSW of Eylesbarrow
• Scheduled Monument 1021055: Eylesbarrow Tin Mine and associated remains
• Scheduled Monument 1010669: Part of Eylesbarrow watershed reave
• Scheduled Monument 1010658: Part of Eylesbarrow watershed reave
• Scheduled Monument 1013474: Two enclosures and a length of the Eylesbarrow watershed reave 800m WSW of Eylesbarrow
• Scheduled Monument 1021055: Eylesbarrow Tin Mine and associated remains

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE108
• National Monuments Record: SX56NE246
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1300505
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438809
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/27
• Old SAM County Ref: 1001
• Old SAM Ref: 34467

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ADIT (XIX - 1814 AD to 1852 AD (Between))
• MINE PUMPING SHAFT (XIX - 1814 AD to 1852 AD (Between))
• MINE SHAFT (XIX - 1814 AD to 1852 AD (Between))
• SPOIL HEAP (XIX - 1814 AD to 1852 AD (Between))
• TIN MINE (XIX - 1814 AD to 1852 AD (Between))

Full description

Collier, W. F., 1879, Third Report of the Committee on Dartmoor, 120 (Article in Serial). SDV347531.

E11 Eylesbarrow (Aylesborough) tin mine. Old house and long abandoned tin mine just above the Plym on the way to Buckland Abbey.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Eylesbarrow Tin Mine (Disused)' shown on 19th century map with building outlines, enclosures and earthworks.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Eylesbarrow Tin Mine (disused)' shown on early 20th century map.

Ramsden, J. V., 1952, Notes on the Mines of Devonshire, 94, Figure 1 (Article in Serial). SDV60737.

E 11 Eylesbarrow Tine Mine.

Cook, R. M. L., 1974, Eylesbarrow (1814- 1852): A Study of a Dartmoor Tin Mine, 161-214 (Article in Serial). SDV231127.

Described by Cook et al 1974. SX 599681 The Eylesbarrow Tin Mine started in February 1815 in an area where mining had been carried on since the 16th century. By 1822 its blast and reverberatory furnaces were in operation smelting ore from other mines in the vicinity, such as the Bottle Hill Tine Mine (SX 55 NE 6), as well as its own. Due to the low price of tin, production appears to have stopped between 1831 and 1835, but with the formation of the Dartmoor Consolidated Tin Mines Company in 1836 a little tin was smelted until 1841.
In 1847 a new company, Dartmoor Consols, completely reorganised the mine, moved the engine wheel house to SX 59306821, dug two new shafts and built a nine-headed stamping mill. No tin seems to have been marketed despite this work and for want of capital the company ceased in 1848. By 1851 the name had been changed to Wheal Ruth, possibly by a new company which had deepened one shaft by 120 feet; but by January 1852 all work had stopped. The mine was sold but part of it, the Wheal Katherine mine, SX 607684, appears to have continued to mine ore until October 1856, with a 24 inch double-acting steam engine and 36 headed stamp.

Hemery, E., 1983, High Dartmoor, 215 (Monograph). SDV249702.

History and description of the site given.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1990, An Assessment of Dartmoor Tinworking, 28-31 (Report - Assessment). SDV343684.

Robertson, J. G., 1994, The Archaeology of the Upper Plym Valley (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV139549.

Depicted and described by Robertson 1991.

Cranstone, D. + Hedley, I., 1995, Monuments Protection Programme: The Tin Industry Step 3 Site Assessments, Devon 6B and 6C (Report - non-specific). SDV357946.

Documented.

Gerrard, S., 1996, The Early South-Western Tin Industry: An Archaeological View, 67-83 (Article in Serial). SDV337901.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1996, Tin Smelting in Devon in the 18th & 19th Centuries, 84-89, Figures 2-3, Plate 1 (Article in Serial). SDV240078.

'Ailsborough Mine' was the last operating tin smelting house on moorland Dartmoor and likely to have been the site of the last blast furnace in operation in Devon. Good records survive from 1822 - 1831 of the quantities of tin smelted and of the different grades of tin produced. There remains archaeological evidence of the two furnaces and other features.

Newman, P., 1999, Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine (Report - Survey). SDV352201.

(30/09/1999) Eylesbarrow Mine operated between 1814 and 1852. The archaeological evidence is spread over a large area and includes examples of most types of remains associated with this industry. The area was exploited for tin from at least the 12th or 13th century. The 'Ailsboro Mines Company' commenced work at Eylesbarrow in 1814 continuing the work of previous ventures. Many of the features such as shafts, adits and stamping mills already existed but new shafts and deep adits were sunk. Underground pumping was established and the engine wheel with associated flatrods was installed. The engine leat was completed by 1818 and several new buildings and three additional stamping mills were installed. A smelting house with an associated stamping mill was built circa 1822 when 'Ailsborough Co' commenced coining tin at Tavistock. The mine had a total of seven stamping mills and the smelting house operated both blast and reverberatory furnaces. Tin smelting ceased at Eylesbarrow Mine in 1831. By 1836 'Dartmoor Consolidated Tin Mines' had taken over the site but were unsuccessful. Several further companies attempted to operate the mines in the Upper Plym Valley between 1844 and 1852 when the mine finally closed.

Newman, P., 1999, Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine, 105-148 (Article in Serial). SDV231130.

On the English Heritage survey of Eylesbarrow Mine a series of shafts are located in this area as well as numerous pits. A map of Ellisborough Tin Mines circa 1825 delineates many of the mines' features including 11 shafts. The Ailsboro Mines' cashbook of 1814 reveals other shafts. The mine was known as Wheal Ruth in 1851.

Whitbourn, A., 2001, An Archaeological Investigation into features comprising, and associated with, Ditsworthy Warren, 82, Appendix 4 (Report - Assessment). SDV360381.

Eylesbarrow tin mine.

Whitbourn, A., 2001, An Archaeological Investigation into features comprising, and associated with, Ditsworthy Warren, 82, Appendix 4 (Report - Assessment). SDV360381.

Eylesbarrow Mine.

Whitbourne, A., 2001, Visit to Eylesbarrow Mine, 2-3 (Article in Serial). SDV231129.

Buildings at Eylesbarrow Mine included a barracks built in 1840, explosives store, blacksmiths shop, carpenters workshop and deacon's house. By 1822 its blast and reverbatory furnaces were smelting ore from other mines (eg Bottle Hill tin mine) as well as its own. Production appears to have stopped between 1831 and 1835, but with the formation of the Dartmoor Consolidated Tin Mines Company in 1836 a little tin was smelted until 1841.

Gerrard, S., 2003, 157245 (Report - Survey). SDV352200.

Site visited on 30th September 2003. Tin mine at Eylesbarrow consisting of a series of lode-back pits and other features.

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

Industrial activity shown on survey at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine.

Newman, P., 2006, Cramber Tor Training Area Archaeological Field Investigation (Report - Survey). SDV233640.

(01/08/2006) As described in 1999.

National Monuments Record, 2013, 438809, SX56NE108 (Website). SDV231126.

A tin mine which was first expoited in 1814 and is situated within an area which has been worked for tin since the 16th century. Production took place until 1831, reopening in 1835. In 1847 parts of the mine were reorganised. The mine's name was changed to Wheal Ruth in 1851. Work had stopped in 1852 except for Wheal Katherine, which was part of this sett which continued working until 1856. An archaeological field survey by English Heritage found the majority of the mine remains located on the southwestern slopes of Eylesbarrow. Wheal Katherine was situated at the upper end of the Plym Valley. The surface evidence for underground mining comprises 24 shaftheads and 4 adits. Power for pumping the underground levels was initially provided by a waterwheel which drove two flatrod systems powering pumps located in shafts further up the hill to the east. From 1848 motive power was provided by a larger 50ft waterwheel supplying power via new flatrods to shafts. Balance Bob pits survive on several of the shafts and others have remains of whim plats. Six dressing floors were also recorded, these were aligned along the Drizzlecombe Valley. A smelting house contained both a blast and reverberatory furnace and was operating between 1822 and 1831. A series of ancillary buildings associated with the mine also survive. Water to power the wheels and other processes was diverted from the River Plym and its upper tributaries via two leats and an exceptionally large storage reservoir contained the water. In 1847 a new company, Dartmoor onsols, reorganised the mine and moved the engine wheelhouse to SX59306821, dug two new shafts and built a nine-headed stamping mill. The company ceased in 1848. By 1851 the name had been changed to Wheal Ruth, possibly by a new company which had deepened one shaft by 120 feet but by January 1852 all work had stopped. The mine was sold but part of it, the Wheal Katherine Mine at SX607684, appears to have continued until October 1856, with a 24 inch double-acting steam engine and 36 headed stamp.

English Heritage, 2013, Eylesbarrow Tin Mine and associated remains (Schedule Document). SDV231131.

Eylesbarrow Tin Mine contains a broad range of different forms of evidence relating to prospecting, exploitation and processing of both tin deposits and lodes. In particular, the 19th century mining remains represent an important source of information concerning the character of a large scale water powered tin mine, where all the original elements survive in an excellent condition. The survival of so many stamping mills together with a smelting house and full range of mining remains and associated buildings is indeed unique in the South West of England.
The monument includes the core part of Eylesbarrow Tin Mine, together with adjacent tin streamworks, earlier mining remains, archaeological remains of prehistoric and historic date including a stone hut circle settlement, pillow mounds and field systems situated on the southern slopes of Eylesbarrow overlooking the valley of the River Plym. Tin extraction within the area later to become known as Eylesbarrow Tin Mine probably dates back to at least the 12th century, although it is not until the 16th century that specific documentation is known. Some of the earthworks visible within the monument will certainly be the result of mining activity before the better documented phases of the 19th century. The 19th century mine opened in 1814 and continued until 1852. During this time several companies were formed to run the mine and most failed to make a profit.
A large number of different types of earthworks and structures relating to tin extraction and processing survive within the monument. Amongst the earliest are two areas of streamworking, both of which have been damaged by later mining activity. The streamworks were formed during the extraction of tin deposits using water to separate the heavy tin from the lighter silts, sands and gravels. Once the streamworks were abandoned, the tinners turned their attentions to the lode tin within the area. The first stage was extensive prospecting using both pits and trenches. Large numbers of these features survive within the vicinity of the tin work. The pits were excavated solely by hand but the trenches were formed by using both shovels and running water. The water was brought to the area in leats and stored in reservoirs. Once the lodes had been identified they were extracted using different mining techniques. Foremost among these was the use of opencast quarries known as openworks to extract the lode tin and these survive as deep, steep sided gullys trending approximately east to west. The second form of evidence relating to mining survives as series of deep pits and these are known as areas of lode back tin working. This form of exploitation consists of deep pits being cut onto the back of the lode with the tin ore encountered being raised to the surface. When extraction became difficult the pit was abandoned and a new one opened elsewhere on the lode. The resulting archaeological remains include linear series of deep pits each associated with a spoil dump.
While the earlier mining remains are of considerable significance, Eylesbarrow's importance stems from its unrivalled array of 19th century mining remains making it the largest and most informative example of a large scale water powered tin mine in Britain. At least 27 shafts and five adits were cut to reach the tin lodes, seven whim platforms and two water powered engine wheels were built to power the lifting and pumping machinery, a series of tramways were made to carry the ore to six separate stamping mills and, to complete the picture, a smelting house was constructed to smelt the processed tin from the stamping mills. The size of the operation is further emphasised by the large number of ancillary buildings constructed to serve the mine. Amongst these are a count house, dormitory accommodation, blacksmith's shop, powder houses, sample house and various storage buildings.
The smelting house is of particularly significance because it is the only surviving example on Dartmoor and black tin from other mines was brought here during its nine year life. It survives as a substantial rectangular building containing a blast and reverberatory furnace. The house shares a wheelpit with an adjacent stamping mill and the remnants of a flue lead away upslope towards the remains of a chimney stack. During the nine years that the smelting furnace produced tin metal a total of 276 tons (280 tonnes) were smelted. All the black tin produced at Eylesbarrow before 1822 and after 1831 was probably sent to Cornwall for smelting.
Peripheral archaeological remains associated with the mine include five pillow mounds which were probably built by the miners to provide an additional food source and two field systems in which tinners may have grown crops or kept livestock. The only archaeological remains within the monument which are in no way connected with tin working at Eylesbarrow is a Prehistoric settlement at SX59296823 which survives as an oval enclosure containing five stone hut circle.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

'Eylesbarrow Tin Mine (disused)' shown on modern mapping. Various mining features outlined.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, accessed 02/07/2021 [438809] (Website). SDV364039.

The reverberatory and blast furnace at SX 592677 worked from 1822 to 1831. A rectangular building, about 70 by 20 feet, the walls of which survive to a height of 5 feet, had a long flue ending at a 3 feet diameter chimney. Mortar stones at one end indicate a stamping mill and a wheel pit and settling pits are situated nearby (citing Department of the Environment (Inspector of Ancient Monuments) Record Form July 1977).
(SX 598681) Eylesbarrow Tin Mine (Disused) (NAT), (SX 59186764) Blowing House (NAT) (Ordnance Survey 1954 map citation).
The smelting house is as described by the DOE (IAM). It is in fair condition (citing Ordnance Survey Field Investigators Comments, 14-DEC-1978).

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed 07/09/2021 [1300505] (Website). SDV364039.

Summary description ?
Remains of nineteenth century mine shafts and adits at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine, which was mined from 1814 until 1856. An English Heritage archaeological field survey identified 25 shaftheads of which 16 have names recorded in documentary sources. Most of the shaftheads comprise conical pits between 9 metres and 16 metres in diameter, surrounded on the downslope side by either a crescentic or linear spoil dump up to 3 metres high. Some also have remains of masonry collars. It is likely that the majority of the shafts would originally have had collars, particularly those associated with winding or pumping equipment but they were destroyed or obscured when the shafts were capped after abandonment. At least five of the shafts were associated with pumping equipment, powered by the two waterwheels located on the lower flanks of the hill (Monument HOB UID 1300628 and 1300630). Three shafts Pryce Deacon's Shaft, Henry's Engine and New Engine all have evidence of balance bob pits built into the upper rim of the shafthead. Six of the shafts were used for winding.
Full description(s) ?
Centred SX 5990 6821. Surface evidence of c.19th -century underground activity at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine, which is documented for a period from 1814 until its closure in 1856. The evidence consists of 25 shaftheads of which 16 have names recorded in documentary sources.
1. SX 5919 6819; 2. SX 5922 6819; 3. SX 5927 6821 (Deep Adit Shaft, adapted to wheelpit in 1847); 4. SX 5931 6818 (Sutton, whim); 5. SX 5939 6818 (Henry's, whim); 6. SX 5942 6820 (Jenkins); 7. SX 5952 6818 (New); 8. SX 5961 6813; 9. SX 5964 6814 (Whim, whim); 10. SX 5963 6822(tramway); 11. SX 5970 6812; 12. SX 5969 680; 13. SX 5976 6815 (Hawk's); 14. SX 5986 6817(Barrack/New Engine, bob pit, flat rods); 15.SX 5991 6818 (Old Ladderway); 16. SX 5997 6823 (Philips/Philp/ Phelps, whim); 17. SX 6005 6827 (Footway); 18. SX 6004 6829; 19. SX 6006 6829 (Old Engine, flat rods); 20. SX 6010 6827; 21. SX 6014 6832(Whitford/ Henry's Engine, bob pit, flat rods, whim); 22. SX 6024 6834 (Pryce Deacon, bob pit, flat rods, whims x 2); 23. SX 6030 6835 (Midsummer); 24. SX 6037 6834 (Michaelmas, whim?) 25. SX 6021 6873 (flat rod).
In most cases the shaftheads consist of conical pits, surrounded on the downslope side by a crescentic ring of spoil, or in some cases linear spoil dumps. The diameter of the pits varies between 9m for the smaller examples, such as shaft no. 7, and 16m as at shaft no. 22. The size of the spoil heaps varies also with some shafts having a minimal ring of spoil, such as shafts 11 and 13, whereas that at shaft no. 22 has a perimeter of 96m, stands to a maximum height of 3m and covers an area of 665 square metres. Some of the shafts also have surviving masonry collars, as at shaft no. 14. It is likely that the majority of the shafts would originally have had collars, particularly those associated with winding or pumping equipment but they were destroyed or obscured when the shafts were capped after abandonment. Many of the shafts (i.e. shafts 14-22) are sited within an area of earlier extractive activity where deposits were worked by either streamwork or openwork methods. It is probable that parts of these workings have been infilled by spoil from the later shafts, especially in the vicinity of shaft nos 15-20. Some of the stony spoil in this area shows evidence of the use of explosives in the form of shotholes, which would certainly be from the underground activity (2).
At least five of these shafts were associated with pumping equipment, powered by the two waterwheels located on the lower flanks of the hill (Monument HOB UIDs 1300628 and 1300630). Pryce Deacon's Shaft, Henry's Engine and New Engine all have evidence of balance bob pits built into the upper rim of the shafthead. Henry's Engine shaft no. 21 is the better preserved with more or less intact masonry. The internal dimensions are 4m by 1.6m wide and 2.8m deep.
Evidence of winding in the form of whims has survived at 6 of the shafts (nos 4, 5, 9, 16, 21, 22). At Pryce Deacon's shaft, no. 22, there are the remains of two whims. The remains consist essentially of a roughly circular level platform or 'plat' on which the drum was sited. At two of the whims, (shaft nos 5 and 22) the pivot stone is still in place, sited approximately in the centre of the plat and consisting of a flat-topped piece of granite with a vertical blind hole of 9cm diameter. Around the peripheries of the whim at Philip's shaft and Pryce Deacon's shaft, there is a low stony embankment, likely to be the foundations of some sort of covering structure.
There are three adits associated with these shafts. These are, Deep or Deacon's, Two Brothers and Shallow. Shallow Adit (SX 5964 6804) is recorded as being driven in 1814, connecting with Hawk's shaft in the same year. Today the opening is completely blocked and a stream of water issues from within the opening out into a boggy gully.
Two Brother's Adit (SX 5929 6823) is not mentioned in documentation until the 1840s when it appears on a section drawing. The mouth of Two Brother's adit is still open, though a copious flow of water issues from within, creating an extremely large marshy area on the slopes below. The interior of the adit was photographed by Atkinson et al (3) and it is believed to be unblocked for at least 70m (4). The opening, which survives to about 1.5m high, leads out into a steep- sided channel. A spoil heap to the west of the adit is likely to be material removed via this route.
Deep Adit was driven between 1814 and 1815 and on a map of c.1825 the position of a deep adit is marked to the NW of Deep Adit shaft. Both references correspond well for position with the adit found within the streamwork at the foot of the scarp (SX 5909 6826). Particularly convincing is the reference in 1814 to 'open cutting the tail of Deep Adit' (1) as the remains certainly have a long steeply cut channel to conduct water away into the streamwork. The visible section of the adit has a robust granite lining including flat slabs forming the roof. The opening is approximately 2.2m high by 0.9m wide and may apparently be entered for some distance. (4) The open cutting is up to 3.5m deep and extends for approximately 30m west, conducting water away into the streamwork. (1)
For documentary references and full description see EH 1999. (2)
Described by Cook et al 1974(5)
Depicted and described by Robertson 1991(6)
As described by Authority 1(7)
Cramber Tor Survey 2002, Site WA154 (8)

Sources ?
Ref Title (& comments) Year SoR Pages Volume Notes
Eylesbarrow Tin Mine/ink survey
Eylesbarrow Tin Mine/report
1 Field Investigators Comments Newman P 30-SEP-1999 EH Field Investigation
2 Eylesbarrow Tin Mine, Dartmoor Devon: an archaeological survey 1999 Phil Newman
3 Dartmoor Mines: Mines of the Granite Mass 1978 Atkinson M, Burt R, Waite P
4 Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments D. Lethbridge 1999
5 Devonshire Association reports and transactions 161-214 106 (1974)
6 The archaeology of the Upper Plym Valley
Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Edinburgh, 1992 1992 J G Robertson
7 Field Investigators Comments Newman, P 01-AUG-2006 EH Cramber Tor Training Area Archaeological Field Investigation
8 Cramber Tor Training Area Rapid Condition Survey 2002 Wessex Archaeology

Greeves, T., July 1979, Devon Studies Week. Notes for Afternoon Excursion, Thursday, July 12th 1979 (Un-published). SDV230997.

Site visited on 12th July 1979.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4966 - Survey of Drizzlecombe, Eylesbarrow, Ditsworthy and Hartor. The Eylesbarrow archaeological landscape
• EDV6239 - Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine
• EDV7382 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV7443 - Condition survey of archaeological sites in Ringmoor Training Area
• EDV7569 - Condition survey of Ringmoor Down training area
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)
• EDV8227 - Ringmoor Training Area: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8711 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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