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Summary

This rectangular building, 5.2m. by 2.5m. internally lies against the river cliff on the east bank of the Blacklane Brook at 410m. above OD. The walls, 0.9m wide, are built of coursed small boulders and incorporate a large slab, 1.5m. long. They stand to a height of 1.5m. and are in a poor condition. There is no indication of an entrance, and the absence of a leat, wheelpit, mould or mortar stones suggests that it is not a blowing house but probably a tinner's hut of Medieval or later date.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Structural and earthwork remains of Medieval or later tin streamworks on the River Erme and its tributaries, Blacklane Brook, Dry Lake and Red Lake, as well as blowing houses and tinners buildings and possible prehistoric enclosures at Wollake

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66NW27
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441635
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NW/33/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TINNERS HUT (Constructed, XVI to XVII - 1501 AD (Between) to 1700 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Small rectangular building shown on 19th century map.

Worth, R. H., 1940, The Dartmoor Blowing House, 218 (Article in Serial). SDV154693.

The square buildings may have been houses for the workers. It is known as Knackersmill Gulf but there is no trace of a mill there.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX66NW27 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV272711.

(10/08/1977) SX 62956691. This rectangular building, 5.2m. by 2.5m. internally lies against the river cliff on the east bank of the Blacklane Brook at 410m. above OD. The walls, 0.9m wide, are built of coursed small boulders and incorporate a large slab, 1.5m. long. They stand to a height of 1.5m. and are in a poor condition. There is no indication of an entrance, and the absence of a leat, wheelpit, mould or mortar stones suggests that it is not a blowing house but probably a tinner's hut of Medieval or later date.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on PFD.

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

Not visible on aerial photograph.

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

Building depicted by Butler.

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

(10/12/1994) SX 6295766907. This structure, lying at the foot of an openwork, is as described in 1977.

Newman, P., 2018, Erme Valley Survey data (GIS and Excel spreadsheet) (Cartographic). SDV361913.

Building shown on survey.

Newman, P., 2018, The Upper Erme Valley, Dartmoor National Park, Devon: An Archaeological Survey, Appendix 1 (Report - Survey). SDV362921.

A ruined rectangular building located with the large area of tin streamworks on the east side of Blacklane Brook, is a possible tinners' building or lodge, to which a post-medieval date may be assumed, though it could possibly be earlier. The uneven walls are constructed from random granite boulders, standing to a maximum height of 0.8 metres. The dimensions are apprximately 5.3 metres by 2.5 metres but the position of the entrance has not survived.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording forms (Worksheet). SDV362781.

(03/07/2020) Aside from some minor encroachment from Compact Rush there appears to be no significant factors impacting on this site. The only possible position for a doorway would appear to be central in the north wall although much wall tumble has now disguised that position. The, shorter, west and east walls appear to be complete and the complete south wall is also backed by a substantial streamwork bank. Condition good.

Various, 2018-2020, PALs Condition Recording photographs (Photograph). SDV363073.

Photographed 03/07/2020.

Ordnance Survey, 2020, MasterMap 2020 (Cartographic). SDV363413.

Rectangular building shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8082 - Survey of the Upper Erme Valley
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project

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