See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Building 9: Building with five elements built in four phases in the 19th century at Powder Mills gunpowder factory

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016635: Gunpowder factory at Powder Mills, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and round cairn

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67NW/51/9
• Old SAM Ref: 28718

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• INDUSTRIAL BUILDING (Built, XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Buildings shown on 19th century map.

Pye, A. R. + Robinson, R., 1990, An Archaeological Survey of the Gunpowder Factory at Powdermills Farm, Postbridge, Devon, 27-30, Figure 10, Plates 16-20 (Report - Survey). SDV254157.

Building 9 at Powder Mills gunpowder factory contains five elements centred on Sections (b) and (c.) which are two mills powered by a central waterwheel fed by a leat off Cherry Brook.
Section (a): A long rectangular stone building. Gable ended, single storey with blocked doorways and windows in east wall. Loft entrance in south gable. Probably store or stable.
Section (b): Mill consisting of a two-storey gable-ended structure. Entrance from south-east. At ground floor is a small opening in centre of the south-west wall through into the wheelpit, presumably to hold the axle of the waterwheel. At first floor level is evidence of a north-west to south-east beam which may have reinforced a first floor carrying heavy machinery, or been used to hang/anchor machinery on the ground floor.
Section (c.): Mill similar to Section (b). Only a small portion of the west wall survives to anything like full height. Blocked doorway at north end of north-east wall perhaps mirroring that in the north-east wall of Section (b). Doorway through north wall into Section (d), possibly secondary. In centre of south-east wall is a rectangular opening which probably housed the axle of the waterwheel.
Section (d): A largely ruined building aligned north-east to south-west and abutting Section (c). Apparently single storey. Possible loft at south-west end.
Section (e): A rectangular structure abutting the south-west side of Section ©. Only the lowermost portions of north-west and south-east walls survive, with a small loading platform (of granite) at its west corner. Doorway into first floor of Section (c.).
The wheelpit lies between Sections (b) and (c.). The tailrace is discernible running north-east presumably to join the leat supplying other buildings.
Four phases of development were identified.
Phase 1: Mill (b) was constructed originally with a wheelpit to the north preceding the existing one.
Phase 2: The addition of mill (c.) and present wheelpit.
Phase 3: The addition of Sections (a), (d) and (e), not necessarily contemporaneously.
Phase 4: After closure of works in 1897, the blocking of some doors/windows suggests use of the buildings as stock shelters. Lean-tos were built in the wheelpit and in the north end of Section (a).

Pye, A., 1996, The Gunpowder Factory at Powdermills, 221 (Article in Serial). SDV254160.

Gerrard, S., 1998, 149183 (Un-published). SDV260414.

Mill forming part of the gunpowder factory at Powder Mills.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Group of buildings shown on modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2012, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV348729.

Powder Mills. Ruins of gunpowder mill. Established in 1844 by a Plymouth alderman George Frean. Originally quite an extensive complex of buildings running up the valley with several water wheels turned by water from a leat and with two chimneys. All the buildings are now in varying degrees of ruin although one chimney survives and three main groups are recognisable of granite rubble with granite lintels, all roofless. The chimney is well constructed with stringcourse near the top and plinth. It has a covered channel running downhill from it towards the largest ruinous building. The invention of dynamite in 1867 rapidly superceded gunpowder. and the mills, which employed about 100 men closed in the 1890s. Source: Dartmoor : A New Study - Industry : Frank Booker.

English Heritage, 9/10/1981, Gunpowder factory at Powder Mills (Schedule Document). SDV350194.

The gunpowder factory at Powder Mills survives well and contains a complete range of buildings and other structures and features associated with the industry. Many of the buildings remain essentially intact, with only the roofs and machinery having been removed. The system of leats and trackways provides useful additional information concerning the character of the factory. The unique survival of the associated proving mortar emphasises the quality of the surviving archaeology. Together with a comprehensive historical background this represents a fine example of a gunpowder production site.
The monument, which falls into five areas, includes a gunpowder factory, a partially enclosed stone hut circle settlement and a round cairn situated adjacent to the Cherry Brook. The gunpowder factory, which is Listed Grade II, comprises at least 18 buildings involved in the production, storage and management of gunpowder. Many of these buildings contained machinery which was powered by water which was carried to the site by three large leats from the East Dart and Cherry Brook rivers. These are included in the scheduling. A system of trackways link the buildings and the river was crossed by way of clapper bridges. The gunpowder factory established in 1844 by George Frean, was certainly operational by 1846 and remained in use until 1897, when it closed as a result of increasing competition from dynamite and a slump in local mining activity. The production of gunpowder involved combining a mixture of saltpetre, sulphur and charcoal and the buildings in which the different stages of the process were carried out survive at Powder Mills. The process was inherently dangerous and to reduce the chances of cataclysmic explosions, the buildings were situated at a safe distance from each other and each had a flimsy roof which would have allowed any explosion to be carried upwards. Several explosions are known to have occurred at Powder Mills and fortunately these precautions may have ensured that no workers were ever killed. Amongst the buildings identified at Powder Mills are: grinding mills, where the ingredients were crushed separately between horizontal rotating millstones; blending mills, where the ingredients were mixed in rotating barrels; incorporation mills, where the material from the blending mills was mixed further into a single compound; a range of buildings where the gunpowder was broken, pressed, corned, dried, dusted and glazed; and finally charge magazines, where the gunpowder was stored. Further buildings on the site may have been used as storage or office accommodation. The quality of the finished gunpowder had to be tested and at Powder Mills this appears to have been carried out using two very different techniques. At SX 63777681 a proving mortar, which was used to test the strength of the gunpowder, still sits on a restored carriage. Whilst at SX 62757750 a number of large boulders have been split using a single charge, possibly the result of of testing. To the south west of the gunpowder factory stands an isolated rectangular building in which finished gunpowder was stored prior to transportation. Within the vicinity of the gunpowder works there are four quarries from which material was derived during the construction of the buildings. Parts of the valley bottom contain earthworks related to tin streamworking. Modern post and wire fences, a shed and piles of sand and other materials associated with a consolidation programme are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6029 - An Archaeological Survey of the Gunpowder Factory at Powdermills Farm

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