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Summary

Devon Mine, depicted on the First Edition Ordnance Survey and visible as a series of earthworks and structures on aerial photographs. The mine has been mapped as part of the Tamar Valley NMP project.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1105780: COLLACOMBE COTTAGES

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47NW/9

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• COPPER MINE (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

1907, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV242726.

D6 devon. Plans. R 120 f - m. R. O. Copper, zinc. "devon mine (disused)" marked on os 6" (1907) map (os).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV242729.

Ramsden, j. V. /tda/84(1952)92 fig.1/notes on the mines of devonshire.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV242730.

Collins, j. H. /observations on west of england mining region/(1912).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV242731.

Des=os 6" (1907)105nw.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV242732.

Nance, r. W. M. + nance, r. D. /a survey of engine houses on the mines of south devon, in p. Newman (ed) the archaeology of mining and metallurgy in south-west britain/(1996)109-122/copy in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV242733.

Exeter archaeology/objective 5b: lower tamar valley recreation and land management initiative cultural heritage down farm, lamerton/(1998)3/ea report 98.20.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV242734.

Nance r. D. /project design for a survey of engine houses on the mines of south devon/(1996)/in smr.

Nance, R. W. + Nance, R. D., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV271163.

Vis=-/8/1996 (nance + nance) a prominent bob wall marks the site of the copper mine of collacombe down. Containing a large brick-arched plug door that is likely to have served as the cylinder opening, the wall is that of a pumping engine house thought to have housed a 40 inch engine. The engine house faces s and probably had a single boiler on the e side, and a separate stack (nance + nance).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV79.

Vis=-/3/1998 (ea) there is a disused copper and zinc mine to the w of down farm at collacombe down. This mine is on the n fringes of an extensive mining area in the tamar valley known as the devon great consols, the richest copper mines in europe in the 19c, with workings extended over an area of 160 acres including arsenic production (sx47sw/504) (exeter archaeology).

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

The mine is depicted. Map object partly based on this source.

Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 2001-2002, Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Transcriptions and Database Records, RAF CPE/UK/2149/F20/3272-4 (Interpretation). SDV346287.

A series of earthworks of trackways, spoil heaps, ditches and banked features and structures are visible on aerial photographs and interpreted as a post-medieval industrial complex. Map object partly based on this source.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2016, Backlog Recording of the Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Survey (Personal Comment). SDV359374.

The earthworks and structures transcribed as part of this survey are clearly associated with Devon Mine and likely of modern date. The extent of this mine and its boundary with Wheal Conquer to the west, is not clearly demarcated on historic mapping and so has been polygonised according to an ‘extent of area’ mapped by this survey. Industrial features which may be associated with this mine, but fall outside of this area have consequently been excluded from this record. Only part of the photo reference is given in the transcription attributes, so the date of the photograph is not known.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6911 - Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme

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