See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Blanchdown precipitation and ochre works near Wheal Thomas/Watson which was part of Devon Great Consols

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47SW/504/21

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• POND (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1884, 105SW (Cartographic). SDV218129.

Recorded on OS 6" maps of 1884-1954.

Ordnance Survey, 1907, 105 SW (Cartographic). SDV276342.

Ordnance Survey, 1954, SX47SW (Cartographic). SDV336689.

Pye, A. R. + Dixon, T.
Pye, A. R. + Dixon, t., 1989, An Archaeological Survey of the Arsenic Works and an Inventory of the Other Historic Workings at Devon Great Consols Mine, Tavistock Hamlets, 20-1 (Report - Survey). SDV226597.

Pye, A. R. + Dixon, T., 1989, The Arsenic Works at Devon Great Consols Mine, Tavistock, 79-111 (Article in Serial). SDV219136.

Devon Great Consols. Many settling ponds surviving at Blanchdown Farm at the time of the Exeter Museum Archaeological Field Unit survey in 1989. Visible on a map of 1867. Other details: Fig 1.

Buck, C., 2002, Devon Great Consols: Archaeological Assessment, 200-2 Figs 35,38 (Report - Assessment). SDV241758.

Blanchdown precipitation & ochre works near Wheal Thomas/Watson removed toxins from the water from Wheal Josiah to the northwest (see PRN 3874). The site provided the mine with large supplies of both mine & clean water from the Rubbytown valley. The 1867 map shows six 'ponds/tanks' & eight circular features resembling 'buddles'. A further four tanks had been added by 1884. The 'ponds/tanks' would appear to be the ochre 'pits' & the round 'buddles' were the 'decagonal cistern & sprinklers' described in 1864. Ochre probably continued in production until WWII. The survey in 2002 found many of the ochre beds had filled up with steam rising in cold weather from the orangey material. At SX43427314 a stone retaining wall up to 2.9m high passes round the south & east sides of the ochre beds. Other details: Site 316.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV218129	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1884. 105SW. 6".
SDV219136	Article in Serial: Pye, A. R. + Dixon, T.. 1989. The Arsenic Works at Devon Great Consols Mine, Tavistock. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 47. Paperback Volume. 79-111.
SDV226597	Report - Survey: Pye, A. R. + Dixon, T. Pye, A. R. + Dixon, t.. 1989. An Archaeological Survey of the Arsenic Works and an Inventory of the Other Historic Workings at Devon Great Consols Mine, Tavistock Hamlets. Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit Report. 89.08. A4 Stapled + Digital. 20-1.
SDV241758	Report - Assessment: Buck, C.. 2002. Devon Great Consols: Archaeological Assessment. Cornwall Archaeological Unit Report. 2002R069. Digital + A4. 200-2 Figs 35,38.
	Linked documents:1
SDV276342	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1907. 105 SW. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch Map. Map (Paper).
SDV336689	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1954. SX47SW. Ordnance Survey 6 inch map. Map (Paper).

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV1812 - An archaeological survey of the arsenic works at Devon Great Consols
• EDV1813 - Devon Great Consols: Archaeological Assessment

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.