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Summary

Black Down Mine on the Red-a-ven Brook is a small mid-19th century copper working with wheelpit, shaft and buildings surviving. Hamilton-Jenkin's description of Devon Copper Mine or Okehampton Wheal Maria has many similarities and has not been accurately located.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX59SE140
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1397028
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX59SE/208

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• COPPER MINE (XIX - 1833 AD (Between) to 1866 AD (Between))

Full description

Greeves, T. A. P., 1991, An Assessment of Copper Mining in Devon (Copper, Brass, Tin), 15+2 (Report - Assessment). SDV60709.

Black Down Mine on the Red-a-ven Brook is a small mid-19th century copper working with wheelpit, shaft and buildings surviving.

Hedley, L. and Cranstone, D., 1995, Monuments Protection Programme, Zink, Copper, Minor Metals, Step Three: The Copper Industry, Introduction to Step 3 Assessments, 4, 6, 18 (Report - non-specific). SDV357718.

6. Black Down Mine SX 570 917. Lesser national importance.
Prospecting trench - no modification, spalling floor - medieval - late 19th century (most late examples confined to the smaller mines), copper or processing is appreciably under-studied and given the relative rarity of spalling floors nationally all well-preserved examples should be considered of moderate importance.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P. + Probert, S., 1997, The Meldon Industrial Landscape, Okehampton, Devon. An Archaeological Survey, 18-19, fig 9 (Report - Survey). SDV346364.

The main surface evidence for underground activity at the Red-a-ven site consists of an alignment of three blocked shafts, on the east side of the river, and an adit at river level. The engine shaft is the lowest of the three, sited 60 metres from the river. It is surrounded by a bank of spoil and has an additional large linear dump to the south. On the edge of the shaft itself a masonry-lined flat-rod opening aligns with a water wheel pit adjacent to the river. The wheelpit is a substantial stone-built structure 9 metres by 1.8 metres. It remains more or less intact though is now filled with rubble.
Immediately north of the wheelpit is the former adit opening. Although now blocked its position is clear at the end of a 'U' shape gully. Material was trammed from the adit and dumped to the north on a linear spoil heap running parallel with the river. Samples of chalcopyrite are to be found within the spoil, confirming its identification as a copper mine.
Extractive evidence on the west side of the river comprises of a section of open working, extending 30 metres west from the river, following the approximate alignment of the lode. Small conical pits within and to the west of the openwork could also represent additional underground activity.
Other features which may be associated with the mining activity here are two shallow linear trenches which traverse the lode on the eastern hillside. One is located between the two lower shafts and the second is just above the higher shaft. Their purpose is not clear but they could be prospecting trenches, dug to examine the character of the ground beneath. The purpose of an alignment of twelve shallow, confluent pits, to the east of the higher shaft, running for 50 metres approximately east -west is even less clear and some doubt has to be exercised as to whether they are in fact connected with the mining operations here, or are evidence of military activity. To the north of the main engine shaft is a levelled terrace with a low retaining wall on the upslope side. Its function is unclear though it could have contained a temporary structure of some kind. A little further to the north are the remains of a roofless, stone-built rectangular building. The walls are all but collapsed, and the area in and around the building is strewn with rubble, though the position of the entrance on the west side is clear.

Environment Agency WMS, 1998-2016, LiDAR DSM data JPEG image (1m resolution) (Cartographic). SDV360209.

Mining remains are clearly visible on the lidar data and match the Royal Commission earthwork survey.

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 2003-2004, Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350801.

(05/05/2004) The main surface evidence for underground activity at the Red-a-ven site consists of an alignment of three blocked shafts, on the east side of the river, and an adit at river level. The engine shaft is the lowest of the three, sited 60m from the river. It is surrounded by a bank of spoil and has an additional large linear dump to the south. On the edge of the shaft itself a masonry-lined falt-rod opening aligns with a water wheel pit adjacent to the river. The wheelpit is a substantial stone-built structure 9m by 1.8m. It remains more or less intact though is now filled with rubble.
Immediately north of the wheelpit is the former adit opening. Although now blocked its position is clear at the end of a 'U' shape gully. Material was trammed from the adit and dumped to the north on a linear spoil heap running parallel with the river. Samples of chalcopyrite are to be found within the spoil, confirming its identification as a copper mine.
Extractive evidence on the west side of the river comprises of a section of open working, extending 30m west from the river, following the approximate alignment of the lode. Small conical pits within and to the west of the openwork could also represent additional underground activity.
Other features which may be associated with the mining activity here are two shallow linear trenches which traverse the lode on the eastern hillside. One is located between the two lower shafts and the second is just above the higher shaft. Their purpose is not clear but they could be prospecting trenches, dug to examine the character of the ground beneath. The purpose of an alignment of twelve shallow, confluent pits, to the east of the higher shaft, running for 50m approximately east -west is even less clear and some doubt has to be exercised as to whether they are in fact connected with the mining operations here, or are evidence of military activity. To the north of the main engine shaft is a levelled terrace with a low retaining wall on the upslope side. Its function is unclear though it could have contained a temporary structure of some kind. A little further to the north are the remains of a roofless, stone-built rectangular building. The walls are all but collapsed, and the area in and around the building is strewn with rubble, though the position of the entrance on the west side is clear.

Hamilton Jenkin, Dr. A. K., 2005, Mines of Devon, 99 (Monograph). SDV282410.

This site could be that of Devon Copper Mine or Okehampton Wheal Maria, described from documentation by Hamilton Jenkin and active in the 1860s.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7620 - Okehampton Artillary Range
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range

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