See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Earthworks of irregularly shaped pits and mounds and linear and curvilinear banks and ditches, interpreted as evidence of a possible medieval or post-medieval alluvial tin streamworks, are visible on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2005 and 2013. The visible earthworks extend along the River Walkham floodplain, to the south of Lower Grenofen.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47SE/343/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• EXTRACTIVE PIT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))
• LEAT (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))
• SPOIL HEAP (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))
• STREAMWORK (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV223821.

Des=greeves,t. /dtrg newsletter/15(july 1998)4/rewarding weekends in the lower walkham valley. Parallel ridges of waste heaps from early alluvial streamwork between the track + the river walkham (greeves).

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

Several of the earthworks visible to the south correspond with features labelled as ‘Westdown Mine (Copper, disused)’.

Greeves, T. + Passmore, A., 1999, Report on the Recent Work in the Walkham Valley, 3-5 (Article in Serial). SDV347156.

Environment Agency, 2000-2019, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Environment Agency LAST RETURN 22-FEB-2005 (Cartographic). SDV363954.

Earthworks of irregularly shaped pits and mounds and linear and curvilinear banks and ditches are visible.

Newman, P., 2011, Mining in the Tavy Valley, West Devon. An Assessment of Archaeological Potential, 64 (Report - Assessment). SDV347105.

Other details: No. 66.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Tellus LAST RETURN 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV363955.

Earthworks of irregularly shaped pits and mounds and linear and curvilinear banks and ditches are visible.

Hegarty, C., Houghton, E., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2020-2021, Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 1 (AI&M project) (Interpretation). SDV363945.

Irregularly shaped pits and mounds and linear and curvilinear banks and ditches are visible as earthworks on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2005 and 2013. The earthworks occupy an area of circa 7.4 hectares of floodplain along, and either side of, the River Walkham. They typically measure between 6-30 metres long, although larger earthworks up to 180 metres long are also visible.
The northern half of the visible earthworks occupy an area of woodland on the late 19th century First Edition Ordnance Survey map. Several of the earthworks to the south at SX48787055 correspond with features on this map that are labelled as ‘Chimney’ and ‘Westdown Mine (Copper, disused)’.
Transcription of these earthworks was carried out primarily using Simple Local Relief and Positive Openess lidar visualisations. Given their complexity and in places subtle nature, not all visible earthworks have been transcribed and an extent of area polygon has been used to define the approximate limit of the earthworks.
The character and form of the earthworks support the interpretation that they are the extractive pits, stream channels and associated spoil heaps of a possible medieval or post-medieval alluvial tin streamworks that had passed out of use by the late-19th century. Water used in the washing and processing of the tin-ore was probably sourced from the River Walkham, via a series of leats. One such possible leat is visible to the south at SX48637030. A clearly defined arrangement of earthworks visible as a series of linear and parallel spoil heaps were also recorded to the north at SX48907091. These are interpreted as the possible individual working areas, or tyes, of this streamworks.
The earthworks are possibly associated with the record of a dressing floor (MDV63693) recorded to the south at SX48597029. Some of the transcribed earthworks may be associated with later mining activity that has been recorded in this area and includes Westdown Mine (MDV4082) and Walkham United Mine (MDV4070).
The earthworks are not clearly visible on other available aerial imagery owing to dense tree cover. Further investigations, such as targeted trenching is recommended to help define the character of these earthworks.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7622 - Survey of the streamworking below Grenofen Bridge
• EDV8345 - Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 1 (AI&M) (Ref: ACD2380)

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.