See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

A possible tin mill situated within an area of alluvial streamworks on the left bank of the River Avon to the southwest of Ryder's Hill. An archaeological field survey in 1995 found the structure to comprise two small rooms accessed by an entrance in the west wall. One of the rooms had traces of a fireplace . The coursed boulder walls of the building averaged 1metre wide and 0.9 metre high. Immediately north of the building is a marshy depression measuring 2.3m by 1.0m, marking the site of a wheel pit. On the hillside above this is a short turf built launder bank formerly fed by a short leat 0.8m wide and 0.3m deep taking water from the Avon.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of medieval or later streamworking on the River Avon north of Rider's Mire as well as structural remains of tinners' buildings

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66NW132
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1063931
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/25

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• TIN MILL (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• WHEEL PIT (Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV233961.

Remains of tin mill, above fishlake foot.

27/7/1983, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV233967.

Des=plan(1:100)in parish file. Vis=site surveyed at 1:100 by t. Greeves + r. Robinson (27/7/1983). Plans in possession of t. Greeves.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV233970.

Des=worksheet/sketch, plan. Vis=est=-/-/1980 (robinson) this building may be a tin mill as traces of a leat, launder and wheelpit can be seen. In ruinous condition. Long axis n-s, internal overall length c.7.5m. Entrance in middle of west side. A leat can be traced from the avon, leading to a bank of the right height to take a launder, and a wheelpit lies to the north end of the mill (worksheet).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV233972.

Des=pers comm, greeves, t.(1980).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV233976.

Devon archaeology/3(1985)33-40.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV233977.

Tda/65(1933)318-9.

Crossing, W., 1888, Amid Devonia's Alps; or Wanderings and Adventures on Dartmoor, 44-45 (Monograph). SDV152959.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 465 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Worth, R. H., 1932, Blowing houses in the valley of the Sheepstor Brook and the Glazebrook, 318-20 (Article in Serial). SDV266553.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950/1977, SX66NW18 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV234097.

(17/10/1950 (os) fishlake, one of two buildings on the left bank of the river avon.
Vis=20/08/1977 (os) sx64906834. Two small irregular tinners huts built hard against the river cliff on the e bank of the avon at 440m od. They measure c.3m by 2m internally, and have opposed entrances 0.8m wide, opening onto a common passage 0.8m wide and up to 1.2m high. No features to suggest that this is a blowing house. Probably a tinners hut (rchme, citing os).

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, List of Known Devon Tin Mills c1450 - c1750, No.26 (Report - non-specific). SDV319826.

(10/08/1980) Definitely the site of a tin mill. Wheelpit, leat embankment and leat seen. Tin mill (undocumented). Field evidence confirms status of mills.

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

Not visible.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1990, An Assessment of Dartmoor Tinworking, 41 (Report - Assessment). SDV343684.

Butler, J., 1993, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Four - The South-East, (Map 55) (Monograph). SDV337765.

Depicted and described by Butler.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(05/01/1995) SX 64906834. A ruinous tinners building lies adjacent to the cliff marking the E edge of streamworking on the left bank of the River Avon, 1300m SW of Ryder's Hill. The N to S oriented structure consists of two small rooms accessed by an entrance in the W wall. The wedge-shaped N room measures 2.2m N to S by an average of 1.4m while the S room is slightly larger at 3.3m N to S by 2.2m. Traces of a fireplace are visible in the S end. The coursed boulder walls of the building average 1.0m wide and 0.9m high. Immediately N of the building is a marshy depression 2.3m E to W by 1.0m marking the site of a wheel pit. On the hillside above this is a short turf built launder bank formerly fed by a short leat 0.8m wide and 0.3m deep taking water from the Avon.
There is no evidence in the form of mouldstones or mortar stones to confirm the function of this building. It was previously recorded as part of Monument HOB UID 441617 -

Cranstone, D. + Hedley, I., 1995, Monuments Protection Programme: The Tin Industry Step 3 Site Assessments, Devon 31 (Report - non-specific). SDV357946.

Part of a possible stamping mill complex situated within an area of alluvial streamworks.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 1, 19 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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