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Summary

A water wheelpit at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine which contained the waterwheel to power the below-ground pumping equipment to the mine. The power was transmitted via flat rods to shafts further uphill to the northeast. Flat rod channels and support stones survive in situ. The installation of this wheel is documented between 1847-8. The wheelpit was surveyed as part of an English Heritage archaeological field survey of the tin mine in 1999. It measures 19.2 metres by 6 metres and was constructed within an existing but disused deep adit shaft, which was enlarged to accommodate the wheel which measured 50 feet (15.34 metres) in diameter by 3 feet (0.92 metres) breast. Walling of the wheelpit survives on the northern side and in part on the eastern end. The eastern side has additional revetment which probably represents the route of the flatrod. The flat rod was mounted on the north side of the wheel and, after meeting the eastern end of the wheelpit, probably travelled underground for some distance before emerging into the 51 metre long linear trench to the east.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021055: Eylesbarrow Tin Mine and associated remains

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX56NE261
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1300628
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56NE/191
• Old SAM Ref: 34467

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WATER WHEEL (XIX - 1847 AD to 1848 AD (Between))
• WHEEL PIT (XIX - 1847 AD to 1848 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Earthwork shown on 19th century map.

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs, CPE/UK/1890 4353 (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

Photograph taken on 10th December 1946.

Cook, R. M. L., 1974, Eylesbarrow (1814- 1852): A Study of a Dartmoor Tin Mine, 180-214 (Article in Serial). SDV231127.

Eylesbarrow. In 1847 a much larger wheel, diameter 15.25 metres and 0.9 metres breast, was built at a new location. The axle of the earlier engine-wheel was incorporated in the new wheel. Overshot. Erected in a massive rectangular stone-lined pit, 18.288 metres long by 5.182 metres wide, and sunk 15.240 metres below the surface. The excavation which accommodated the wheel was made by enlarging the head of Deep Adit Shaft. After falling upon the wheel the water was drained by means of a 70 fathom 'lobby' driven through an early adit (Deacon's Adit). The water required to drive this wheel included that draining from the immediately adjacent 'Two Brothers' adit. A further supply was brought by extending the stamping mill leat from a point above Stamping Mill Numbeer 4. Above the wheelpit a single line of paired flatrod supports can be traced in an easterly direction. In order to operate pumps in a shaft at the end of the branch system, power had to be transmitted 1.116 metres from the engine-wheel. In the 1852 sale advertisement items connected with unwatering the mine are mentioned: the waterwheel with cranks, saddles, brasses, etc. , complete, three balance bobs, with arch heads and pin chain complete; 10 fathoms lift of 8 inches pumps; working barrels; doorpieces, windbores, castings, prongs, bucket rods etc; at Whitford Shaft and Pryce Deacon's Shaft are the remains of masonry-lined bob pits which were recesses for the weighted ends of the balance bobs. The pumping system appears to have operated entirely on the bucket-lift or drawing lift principle, which raised water only on the upstroke.

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

Recorded on aerial photograph.

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

Depicted and described by Robertson.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 23/30 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

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

Engine wheel re-sited in 1847 near the tail of Two Brothers adit with a 15.3 metre wheel. Walling of wheelpit 19.2 metres by 6 metres survives on the north side and the east end. The flat rod was mounted on the north side of the wheel and had a 51 metre gully to the east.

Newman, P., 1999, Eylesbarrow (Ailsborough) Tin Mine, 16-18, Figures 2-3,7, Appendix 3 (Report - Survey). SDV352201.

Engine Wheelpit 2 was completed by March 1849. It was constructed within the existing but by then disused Deep Adit Shaft Number 3 which was enlarged to accommodate the wheel. The walling survives on the northern side and part of the eastern end. The internal dimensions are 19.2 metres by 6 metres. An additional section of revetment 2.9 metres from the east end wall probably represents the initial route of the faltrod. The wheel was 15.34 metres diameter by 0.92 metres breast. The wheel would have fitted into the southern half of the wheelpit leaving space on the north side to house the mechanism for the flatrods including a possible counterweight.

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

Wessex Archaeology, 2002, Cramber Tor Training Area Rapid Condition Survey, WA008 (Report - Survey). SDV354588.

Depicted and described by Robertson

English Heritage, 2005, Survey Information (miscellaneous date) (Report - Survey). SDV345855.

Linear feature shown to the west on survey layer.

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

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

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.
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.
(30/09/1999) SX 5927 6821. The engine wheelpit, which contained the waterwheel to power below-ground pumping equipment at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine, which operated between 1814 and 1852. The installation of this wheel is documented between 1847-8.
The wheelpit was constructed within the existing but by then disused Deep Adit shaft, which was enlarged to accommodate the wheel, the material removed being dumped to the west. The walling of the wheelpit survives on the northern side and in part on the eastern end, the south side apparently having collapsed, but enough of the masonry has survived to define the complete outline. The internal dimensions of the wheelpit are 19.2 m by 6m. On the eastern end an additional section of revetment 2.9m from the wheelpit end probably represents the route of the flatrod. The wheel, which was advertised in the auction inventory at the final closure of the mine in September 1852 we know to have been 50ft (15.34m) diameter by 3ft (0.92m) breast. This would have fitted comfortably into the southern half of the wheelpit leaving the space on the north side to house the mechanism for the flatrods, including possibly the counterweighted balance bob.
The flat rod was mounted on the north side of the wheel and, after meeting the eastern end of the wheelpit, probably travelled underground for some distance before emerging into the 51m-long linear trench to the east. At the far eastern end of this trench are the first of the paired granite supports.
The flat rods consisted of rods of iron, joined together to extend between the waterwheel and the engine shafts. The rods were supported on upright pulley wheels with concave rims in which the rods could move. The axles of the pulley wheels rested between pairs of granite posts, which had semi-circular bearing slots with a diameter of 3.5cm cut into the uppermost surface. The posts are spaced on average 0.4m apart and 5.5m - 7m between pairs and it is these pairs of posts, which form the extant remains for the flat rod systems today. The height of the posts varies between just above ground level to approximately 1m though few exceed this.
The flat rod system transmitted power to both Pryce Deacon's shaft (SX 6024 6834,) 961m from the wheel, and Henry's Engine shaft (SX 6014 6832), 854m, when first installed, but was later adapted for pumping in a even more distant unnamed shaft at SX 6021 6873, to the far north of the sett, extending for a total distance of 1192m. This may be the shaft mentioned in documentation of April 1851, as being sunk at the north part of the sett and so represents the final episode of underground activity at Eylesbarrow. At a point 714m from the wheelpit (SX 6000 6830), this later system branches to the NW, 466m to the shaft. Whether the other shafts were still being pumped by this time is uncertain but it is notable that only a handful of support posts survive in the vicinity of Pryce Deacon's and Henry's Engine shafts, suggesting they may have been reused in the later system. No evidence for the mechanism to change the direction of the reciprocal power has survived, as either fixtures or earthworks, at the point where the two alignments diverge, which suggest a fairly simple system was used or that it was made entirely from timber and iron, leaving no field evidence.

English Heritage, 2013, Pastscape, 1300628 (Website). SDV352645.

A water wheelpit at Eylesbarrow Tin Mine which contained the waterwheel to power the below-ground pumping equipment to the mine. The power was transmitted via flat rods to shafts further uphill to the northeast. Flat rod channels and support stones survive in situ.The installation of this wheel is documented between 1847-8. The wheelpit was surveyed as part of an English Heritage archaeological field survey of the tin mine in 1999.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms, WLK-DT32 (Worksheet). SDV362781.

Visited 9/8/2019. Wheelpit covered with grass and bracken with reed outcrops. Overall condition moderate. Photo taken.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs, WLK-DT32 (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photo at given grid ref looking 030° showing grass, bracken and reed cover.

Newman, P., 2021, Archaeological Sites within Cramber Tor Training Area, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: A condition survey on behalf of Defence Infrastructure Organisation February 2021 (Report - Survey). SDV364449.

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

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
• EDV8155 - Plym Valley Survey: EH Project (Feb 2001 - Dec 2002)
• EDV8711 - Condition Survey of the Cramber Tor Training Area

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