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Summary

The remains of Mine Captain's Houses at Gawton Mine depicted on the Bedford Estates map of 1867 as originally attached to the southeast side of the Quay House.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002667: Gawton arsenic mine and flue

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX46NE/527/16
• Old SAM County Ref: 1024

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FOREMANS HOUSE (Built, XVIII to XIX - 1770 AD? to 1842 AD)

Full description

Timms, S., 1985, An Archaeological Assessment of the Remains of the Quay, Mine and Arsenic Works at Gawton, Tavistock Hamlets, 4.1, appendix (Report - Assessment). SDV352213.

4.1 - Houses. Noted on sources dating to 1842, 1895 ('housing'), 1906, 1953, 1984. Fair condition. L-shaped range of at least two phases. Tall, three-storey range (east-west) of two dwellings with two-storey range of two dwellings running north-south at west end. Attached outbuilding/store to rear of east-west range.

Dixon, T. + Matthews, A. + Pye A. R. + Slater, W. D., 1988, Gawton Mine and Arsenic Works. The Field Survey. 1988, 17-21 (Report - Survey). SDV222516.

Mine Captain's House. Three main structural phases, all present by 1875. Thought to have formed the focus of a complex of buildings behind the quay and east of engine shaft. West range (units c-e) probably rebuilt at some time after 1842 - possibly in 1853 when a suite of new buildings was nearing completion, including offices, material house, smithy and carpenter's shop. House divided into two major living areas.

Phase 1: (units a and b) rectangular range, aligned east-west, subdivided into two cottages. Both are on three floors. Common, central stack.
(a): doorway at east end of north wall. One window on each floor to north. Wide fireplace on ground floor, narrow one on first floor. Remains of plaster facing on ground and first floors. Traces of stairway on inside east wall.
(b): almost exact mirror of (a). Stairway on inside west wall. When later phase iii added to west side a doorway was inserted at ground floor underneath stairway. Rectangular ground floor fireplace.

Phase 2: (Unit 6) Long rectangular two-storey building built against south wall of cottages (a) and (b). Walls survive to full height and roof line continuous with that of (a) and (b). Ground floor doorway at east end and doorway and window at west end. First floor windows through centre of east and west walls. Doorway through south wall accessed by slate steps. May have possessed a loft. No fireplaces - perhaps a store or office.

Phase 3: (Units c-e) small range of buildings aligned north-south along west side of (b), apparently all of one build apart from wall dividing (c) and (d) at ground floor. Walls seem to survive to full height with gables at north end. Units (c) and (d) originally one unit at ground floor and they remain so at first floor. Ground floor of (c) has large wide door or gateway in west wall and smaller doorway through east wall into (b). Plaster survives on inside of south wall.
Unit (d) ground floor has doorway into (e) which appears original, and small window in west wall. Small semi-circouth wall of (c) at this level accessed by slate steps. Series of bread ovens inserted in south west corner. Doorway into (e) appears secondary. Roof was perhaps flat. No fireplaces.
Unit (e) two storeys with stack in outh wall and fireplace on both levels. All walls survive to full height. Ground floor has doorway and window to east and possible remains of porch. Doorway into (d) through south wall. Remains of wall cupboards in alcove east of fireplace. First floor has window to east. Doorway into (d) west of stack. Both floors plastered. Evidence of stairway inside north wall.
Phase 3 range seems to consist of domestic accomodation on ground and first floor levels at north end with with perhaps subsidiary store rooms and domestic catering facilities at south end. Wall of garden to north survives, as do remains of hedges.
Unit (h): low range of shillet sheds at bottom of garden. Walls and gables survive to full height. Single storey. Three units, each with doorway to south. Small fragment of roof survives. Doorway of east unit blocked with concrete blocks at some point, and opening inserted in north wall. First appears on 1892 map. Other details: Fig 15, pls 11-12. Survey - Spring/Summer 1988.

Weddell, P. J. + Pye, A. R., 1989, Gawton Mine and Arsenic Works: The Documentary Research 1988 (Report - non-specific). SDV263249.

Buck, C., 2003, Gawton Mine, Devon, 10-11 (Report - Survey). SDV222530.

The east and west walls of the Mine Captain's House at Gawton Mine were collapsing in 2003 due to rotten timbers. Management recommendations included repair to damaged walls and replacing the timber. Other details: Fig 5.

Buck, C., 2006, Gawton Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment, 54-55 (Report - Assessment). SDV344672.

Both the buildings are largely extant, with open doorways, windows, walls and fireplaces. The buildings are built of killas stone with outer face stone arched lintels and inner timber lintels. The timber lintels have rotted causing localised collapse of the masonry above. The later south facing pair of symmetrical buildings are three storeys high, whilst the earlier is two storeys high.
All of the stone arched window lintels on the northern elevation of the eastern three storied building have collapsed due to rotten interior timber lintels, leaving the outer stone arched lintel to support the entire wall. The outer stone arched window lintels on the northern elevation of the western three storied building are extant, but in a very precarious state, as these interior timber lintels have also rotted. The earlier building has 6 metres high masonry walls, but the east and west walls are collapsing inwards as horizontal timber components have rotted causing the wall to drop and come away from its corner returns. The doorway interior timber lintel has rotted and the inner wall face which had previously been supported is beginning to collapse.
The small range of single storey killas stone buildings at the bottom of the garden are in a relatively stable condition. All the main walls survive to their original height with many intact gable ends and doorway openings. Other details: Figures 3, 7, 33, 36, site 57.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Clive Meaton, 2023, Gawton Mine, Devon- Costed and Prioritised Proposals for Capital Works for the Conservation and Management of Gawton Mine Scheduled Monument (Redacted Costs Version), 143-147, Photograph 79, 80, 81 and 84 (Report - Survey). SDV366131.

A pair of attached buildings are then shown on the Bedford Estates map of 1867 attached to the southeast side of the original building Quay House (Site No. 57.1). It was considered likely that these were two engine house captain’s houses. In 2006 the buildings were found to be largely extant, with open doorways, windows, walls and fireplaces. They were constructed of killas with outer face stone arched lintels and inner timber lintels, which had rotted, causing localised masonry to collapse above. Most notably, stone arched widow lintels to the eastern side of the northern elevation had collapsed, leaving a 7.5 metres high by 1 metre wide opening. The adjacent openings on the western side of the north elevation were extant but in poor unstable condition. Given the same architectural design and form, a similar collapse was considered likely here. Also, the doorway’s interior lintel had rotted, causing the inner wall face above to collapse. A structural assessment for these buildings was recommended, to include proposals for emergency stabilisation work. Long term management proposals were detailed.
The Engine Captain’s House was found to be in similar condition to that described in 2006. The walls were generally stable but with localised areas of instability. Exterior elevations and wall tops were, in places, covered in ivy, and the interior of the structures were similarly overgrown, limiting the scope of assessment. No substantial structural failures or collapses were identified since 2006. A tall scaffold tower was identified within the western house, in the three-storey room. It was unclear what this was bracing but was most likely associated with preventing the collapse of the north facing elevation, at the stone arched lintels, as had previously happened to on the eastern side of the north elevation. The Engine Captain’s Houses were assessed to be in poor condition and deteriorating. The Engine Captain’s Houses are comparatively well preserved and are the only examples on this type on Site. They can be considered a very rare surviving feature for mines across the Tamar Valley and represent different phases of construction and activity at Gawton Mine, so will contain important historical and evidential value dating from much of the 19th century. On this basis they are considered to be of very high significance relative to other features and structures within the Site. Vegetation management, structural repairs and regular monitoring should be undertaken. Other details: Site No. 57.

Jon Avent, 2023, Gawton Mines, Gulworthy, Devon- Structural Condition Report, 32-33 (Report - Survey). SDV366140.

The walls are reasonably stable but with isolated areas of instability, and some scaffolding in place at west end to support opening heads. Area of collapsed masonry was noted internally at west end. There is a risk of collapse to the adjacent opening in this elevation, directly to the west in the next 2-3 years. An allowance to prop or temporarily infill these openings to improve stability may be considered appropriate. Vegetation is present, particularly at high level, restricting access. The fireplace on the wall at west end is precarious and requires urgent consolidation. There is a fracture to northwest corner that requires consolidation. Removal of vegetation, consolidation of wall heads and allowance for masonry consolidation is required. Stitching of fracture to northwest corner is also needed. Other details: Site No. 57.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV3184 - Unnamed Event
• EDV4746 - Archaeological Assessment of Gawton Mine, Devon
• EDV4747 - Field Survey of Gawton Mine
• EDV9132 - Gawton Mine, Devon- Costed and Prioritised Proposals for Capital Works for the Conservation and Management of Gawton Mine Scheduled Monument
• EDV9133 - Gawton Mines, Gulworthy, Devon- Structural Condition Report

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