See important guidance on the use of this record.

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

Summary

Substantial remains of an early 19th century tin mine situated within Combestone Wood. The mine is situated within an area of Medieval tin working and is an exceptionally well preserved complex. Surviving features include the Mine Captain's House, wheel pit and ore-dressing floors. The dressing floors are especially noteworthy, with a rare survival of flat buddles, including a possible pentagonal example.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX67SE154
• National Monuments Record: SX67SE74
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 443075
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 619720
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX67SE/37
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX67SE154

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Former Type) DESERTED SETTLEMENT? (Early Medieval to XVI - 1066 AD (Between) to 1540 AD (Between))
• OPENCUT (Constructed, Early Medieval to XVI - 1066 AD (Between) to 1540 AD (Between))
• TIN MINE (Constructed, XVII to XIX - 1601 AD (Between) to 1832 AD (Between))
• ADIT (Constructed, XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1832 AD (Between))
• DRESSING FLOOR (Constructed, XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1832 AD (Between))
• MINE SHAFT (Constructed, XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1832 AD (Between))
• SPOIL HEAP (Constructed, XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1832 AD (Between))
• WHEEL PIT (Constructed, XIX - 1801 AD (Between) to 1832 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1961, 58/4424, 181 (Aerial Photograph). SDV280247.

Other details: F44.

Linehan, C. D., 1966, Deserted Sites and Rabbit-Warrens on Dartmoor, Devon (Article in Serial). SDV307246.

Combestone Wood. A deserted building showing late development, with enclosures at SX 673724 at 850 feet OD. Other details: Figure 2.

National Monuments Record, 1976/1979, NMR SF1133, 388-90 (Aerial Photograph). SDV234381.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1978, Wheal Cumpston Tin Mine, Holne, Devon. An Historical and Archaeological Survey, 161-71 (Article in Serial). SDV346019.

This is the site of Wheal Cumpston. On the ground may still be seen an openwork, trial pits, an adit, a house, a smaller building, dressing floors, settling pits and a wheelpit. The source of water for the mine is uncertain.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX67SE74 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV263570.

(19/05/1980) There is no deserted building with enclosures to be seen at SX 673724. APs (1976) show four pillow mounds, centred at SX 673724, along the bank of the River Dart. They range in length from 8.6m. to 29.2m. with an average width of 7.2m. and an average height of 1.0m. All have ditches up to 2.0m. wide and 0.3m. deep. According to the local farmer (Rowbrook) these form part of Vaghill Warren (SX 67 SE 87).
Surveyed at 1:2500 on MSD.

Pearce, S. M., 1981, The Archaeology of South West Britain, 161-9 (Monograph). SDV81689.

(SX 67167234. Mine Captain's House depicted at Lee on OS 10000 1982) SX 672723. Wheal Cumpston Tin Mine was worked intermittently during the early-mid C19th and substantial remains survive. These include the Captain's House, a well preserved ore-dressing floor, a wheelpit for powered crushing stamps, lower dressing-floor and adit.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, SX67SE (Cartographic). SDV345957.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1990, An Assessment of Dartmoor Tinworking, 29 (Report - Assessment). SDV343684.

Wheal Cumpston tin mine was worked intermittently during the early-mid 19th century and substantial remains survive. These include the captain's house, a well preserved ore-dressing floor, a wheelpit for powered crushing stamps, lower dressing-floor and adit

Cranstone, D. + Hedley, I., 1995, Monuments Protection Programme: The Tin Industry Step 3 Site Assessments, devon 48 (Report - non-specific). SDV357946.

An early 19th century tin mine within an area of Medieval tin working and is an exceptionally well preserved complex. Surviving features two buildings and two dressing floors. The dressing floors are especially noteworthy, with a rare survival of flat buddles, including a possible pentagonal example.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1997, Tin Stamping Mills of Dartmoor after AD 1750 (Article in Serial). SDV346020.

Gerrard, S., 2004, List of Sites Remaining to be Considered for Designation on Dartmoor (Un-published). SDV345444.

Wheal Cumpston was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 2004. Other details: Site 49.

Crabb, A., 2007, Combestone Wood Survey, 1 (Report - Survey). SDV364948.

(29/05/2007) Wheal Cumpston Tin Mine
Within the southern block of woodland lie the remains of past mining activity. Wheal Cumpston Tin Mine worked the area during the early nineteenth century. The numerous field remains associated with the mine are believed date to before c. 1840 (Greeves 1978).
Reference should be made to the plan made by Greeves that shows the location of the field remains.
The surviving mine structures and features are of local importance and reflect past industrial activity in the woodland. Management recommendations include: Saplings should be cleared from the wall tops of the wheel pit and the main mine building. No stone should be taken from any of the surviving walls. The dressing floors should also be kept clear of new planting and saplings.

Greeves, T. + Stanbrook, E., Apr 2013, Combestone Farm, Holne, Devon. A History, 25, 34-37 (Report - non-specific). SDV356154.

Wheal Cumpston is located within Combestone Wood but the openworks and asome associated shafts/pits extned north-westwards into neighbouring fields. The openwork is likely to be of medieval original and may well have been worked in the late 15th and early 17th centuries. The tinworks may be that referred to as Steepehill tinwork 'att Combestone' which was registered at the Plympton stannary court in 1625.
The core features in the woodland are probably early 19th century in date and include the ruins of a substantially built mine house, two dressing floors and an adit. In the 1830s the mine was being worked under the Dartmoor Tin Mining Company. The mine was abandoned by 1840.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8822 - Survey of Combestone Wood
• EDV8823 - Survey of Hilltown Wood

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