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Summary

Blowing mill, on Dean Moor (now under the Avon Reservoir). A building, probably a blowing house, has been found in the Avon Valley. It stands c.30 metres from the river, but only 6 metres from a straight artificial former river course. 4.5 metres from the building, a mould stone, unfinished, was found, abandoned when a transverse fault became evident. A possible anvil-stone was also found. The launder-bed, the wheel-pit and tail-race are traceable. Two magnificent mould-stones were found in the building. A fine anvil-stone etc.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX66NE17
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 441399
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NE/51
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NE/76
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX66NE/76/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BLOWING HOUSE (Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

GREEVES (LIST, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV147456.

(07/07/1956) Bearing stone from Avon Dam tin blowing mill, found during clearance of the site in the mid-1950s by Hamlyn Parsons and G. M. Spooner. Given to Mr T. A. P. Greeves by G. M. Spooner. Left with Mrs R. Robinson, Harbourneford, South Brent, 15th June 1987 to pass to Plymouth Museum (greeves). Field evidence (greeves (list)).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV147468.

Des=greeves, t. /outline archaeological and historical survey of tin mining in devon. In icohtec internationales symposium. Freiberg 1978/(1980)84.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV147472.

Des=smeardon, r. /dtrg newsletter/12(jan 1997)6-8/avon dam blowing house furnace: some observations & speculations.
The summer drought of 1995 allowed examination of the site of the c16 avon dam blowing house. It was connected to an old streamwork by a tailrace and there is evidence of previous use as a stamping mill. Features include a furnace, a floatstone trough, a wheelpit, remains of 3 mouldstones, a mortarstone fragment, slag + slate debris. The leat embankment was identified to the n + the wheelpit and tailrace to the south (smerdon).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV147473.

Des=greeves, t. /dtrg newsletter/13(july 1997)4/avon dam blowing house.

Crossing, W., 1890 - 1891, Western Antiquary, 29-30 (Monograph). SDV154702.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 367 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1954/1977, SX66NE17 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV146842.

(08/09/1954) A rectangular enclosure or building on south bank of River Avon. Remains of transverse wall 6.4m from east end. The inside of enclosure appears to have been a water course. No signs of moulds nor of wheelpit. This site will be inundated when the dam lower down river is completed. Possible blowing-house.
(07/07/1977) The site of this blowing house is now below the Avon Dam Reservoir.

Parsons, H., 1956, Dartmoor Blowing Houses: Some Recent Investigations (Article in Serial). SDV147453.

(14/04/1954) The blowing house was found on 14 April, 1954 by Hamlyn Parsons, together with Mr and Mrs E N Masson Phillips. It was some 150 yards further downstream than the position indicated on the 6" map and formerly the property of T A Falcon.
The building measured (internally) 32 feet 3 inches by 16 feet 11 inches. The walls were 2 feet 11 inches thick and on average 2 feet 6 inches high. It stands 34 yards from the river, but only 7 yards from a ruler straight artificial former river.
The launder, bringing water 15 yards to the wheel, came away at right angles to the run of the leat. A moulding stone 16 inches by 10 inches was found nearby, and two more were discovered a year later.

Parsons, H., 1956, Dartmoor Blowing Houses: Some Recent Investigations, 191-2 (Article in Serial). SDV147453.

Blowing mill, on Dean Moor (now under the Avon Reservoir). A building, probably a blowing house, has been found in the Avon Valley. It stands c.30m from the river, but only 6m from a straight artificial former river course. 4.5m from the building, a mould stone, unfinished, was found, abandoned when a transverse fault became evident. A possible anvil-stone was also found. The launder-bed, the wheel-pit and tail- race are traceable. Two magnificent mould-stones were found in the building. A fine anvil-stone etc. Full report to follow.

Fox, A., 1957, Excavations at Dean Moor (1954-1956), 23 (Article in Serial). SDV167114.

Stream tin was obtainable in the area and there are old surface workings up the Brockhill Stream and the remains of a late Medieval foundry (blowing house) which has recently been examined by Mr Malcolm Spooner (to be published in TDA) beside the Avon about 0.5 km above the prehistoric settlement.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, List of Known Devon Tin Mills c1450 - c1750, no.3 (in smr) (Report - non-specific). SDV319826.

Blowing mill and stamping mill (undocumented).

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, Medieval Industry, 91/plan (Article in Serial). SDV275197.

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

Not visible on aerial photographs.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1987, List of donations to the Plymouth Museum, 15/06/1987 (Un-published). SDV243606.

(08/07/1976) - Iron hook from 1956 'excavation' of Avon Dam tin mill.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 1,16 /in SMR (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Listed as 'Avon Reservoir blowing mill'.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds

• FDV4039 - HOOK (Unknown date)

Associated Events

• EDV8329 - Exacavation of Dartmoor Blowing House, Dean Moor (Ref: 636285)
• EDV8466 - Excavations in the Avon Valley

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