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Summary

Earthwork remains of mine drains, situated on the valley floor south of Headland Warren Farm, which took water from adits at East Birch Tor Mine, a tin mine which was in used between 1836 and 1927. An archaeological field survey in 1990 recorded three interconnecting drainage channels. Drain A comprises a 56 metre long channel which averaged 3 metres in width and flanked by upcast banks up to 5.1metres wide and 1.5 metres high. It was probably a drainage adit from underground workings and runs southeast directly to the West Webburn. Drain B leads south from a point on the valley floor just south of an adit on Headland Warren, from which water flows copiously, and joins Drain A at the midpoint of its north side. It is a channel 5 metres wide and 0.4 metres deep. Drain C drains the adit at SX 6943 8054, leading directly south-south-east into the West Webburn at a point only a few metres north of Drain A. It has similar dimensions to Drain A but with flanking banks up to 1.8m high.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE164
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 918015
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/326

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ADIT (Constructed, XIX to Unknown - 1826 AD (Post))
• DRAINAGE DITCH (Constructed, XIX to Unknown - 1826 AD (Post))

Full description

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, P. Pattison (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(13/06/1990) SX 6943 8050: Drainage channels formerly taking away water from an adit(s) of East Birch Tor mine, a 19th century mine, on the valley floor south of Headland Warren Farm. They are three interconnected drainage channels, now heavily silted and marshy:
Drain A emerges from the hillside at SX 6941 8050, probably a drainage adit from underground workings, and runs southeast directly to the West Webburn. It is 56m long and averages 3m wide, flanked by upcast banks 2.8-5.1m wide and 0.6-1.5m high.
Drain B leads south from a point on the valley floor just south of an adit at SX 6943 8054 on Headland Warren, from which water flows copiously, and joins Drain A at the midpoint of its north side. It is a channel 5m wide but now only 0.4m deep, clogged with silt and vegetation.
Drain C drains the adit at SX 6943 8054, leading directly south-south-east into the West Webburn at a point only a few metres north of Drain A. It has similar dimensions to Drain A but with flanking banks up to 1.8m high.
Drain C seems to supersede drain B. A branch of a leat (Monument HOB UID 917765) is taken off drain A.
Surveyed at 1:2500. See plan with SX 67 NE 111 (Monument HOB UID 915469).
Visible on Aerial Photographs.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8658 - Challacombe, Duchy Farms Survey
• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project

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