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Summary

Extensive 19th century mine workings in southern part of Boringdon Park Wood include site of engine shaft, reservoirs, ore breaking floor and remains of buildings.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020565: Post-medieval deer park, medieval fishpond, 18th century triumphal arch and a 19th century lead mine, ore works and smelt mill at Boringdon Park

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 438445
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NW/28
• Old SAM Ref: 33780
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX55NW32

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MINE (XIX - 1820 AD to 1857 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Boringdon Park Mine (Silver & Lead, disused)' shown. Map object based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 1907, 118SW (Cartographic). SDV337445.

'Boringdon Park Mine (disused)' shown

Harris, H., 1968, Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor, 217 (Monograph). SDV149229.

Boringdon Consols Mine; in Boringdon Park Wood, near the Plym Bridge, are some old shafts and dumps which mark the site of 19th century mining for lead arsenic, and iron. Boringdon Consols yields for the years 1852-1857 included 400 tons of lead ore and 8000 ounces of silver.

Ordnance Survey, 1968, SX55NW (Cartographic). SDV338669.

'Mine (disused)' shown.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX55NW32 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV343947.

Boringdon Park Mine (Silver and Lead, Disused) (NAT). (OS 1:2500 1951)
In Boringdon Park, near Plym Bridge, are some old shafts and dumps which mark the site of 19th century mining for lead, silver, arsenic and iron. Boringdon Consols' yields for the year 1852-7 included 400 tons of lead ore and 8,000 ounces of silver. (Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor 1968, 217 Harris, H.)

Waterhouse, R., 2000, Boringdon Park Mine (Plan - measured). SDV345790.

Plans and accompanying map showing the buildings at Boringdon Park Mine.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2003, Post-Medieval Deer Park, Medieval Fishpond, 18th century Triumphal Arch and a 19th Century Lead Mine, Ore Works and Smelt Mill at Boringdon Park (Schedule Document). SDV343933.

Extensive workings belonging to a 19th century lead mine known as Boringdon Park Mine are included in the scheduling. The mine was worked at intervals between 1820 and 1857. The surface remains include a series of shafts and their associated tips and horse whim platforms, following the lode from a point just south east of Miners' Cottage, to the main engine shaft 450 metres to the east. Here, a large tip lies south-west of the remains of an engine house and associated buildings, lying alongside a shallow pit which marks the site of the engine shaft. A stone walled structure immediately east of the shaft measures 5 metres long, 3 metres wide and 2.5 metres high and contained a timber balance box which counterbalanced the weight of the pumping rods in the shaft. Flat rods continued for 420 metres to the east to pumps in a shaft known as Flat Rod Shaft, where another large tip survives. Two large rectangular embanked reservoirs on the hillside to the east of the engine shaft supplied water for the boiler of the pumping engine and a 35 foot (10.6 metres) diameter water wheel which drove crushing equipment on a rectangular platform 60 metres to the west. An ore breaking floor to its west is 100 metres long and 25 metres wide with a cobbled surface, its extensive dumps falling up to 4 metres into the valley floor to the south and west. To the north, a range of buildings includes the remains of the mine captain's house at the west end, a smithy in the centre, and a room for drying miners' clothes at the east end. Parts of the boiler and its furnace doors survive. A small office with a fireplace is set back into the hillside between the dry and the smithy. Map object based on this Source.

English Heritage, 2009, Heritage at Risk Register 2009: South West, 110 (Report - non-specific). SDV342694.

Extensive significant problems. Principal vulnerability collapse.

Ordnance Survey, 2009, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV341569.

Map object based on this Source.

English Heritage, 2010, Heritage at Risk Register 2010: South West, 103 (Report - non-specific). SDV344777.

English Heritage, 2011, Heritage at Risk Register 2011: South West, 107 (Report - non-specific). SDV355280.

Extensive significant problems. Improving. Principal vulnerability collapse.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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