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Summary

Remains of a tin dressing floor and stamping mill situated on the east side of the Redwater Valley which served as the main processing area to the Birch Tor and Vitifer Tin Mines and is documented on the Ordnance Survey 25" map of 1885. The site is likely to have pre 1850 origins but in 1903 it was modified and enlarged. An archaeological field survey in 2001 recorded few features as the site was used to deal with unexploded bombs during World War II . Much of the area was wet and boggy and colonised by dense shrubs. A deep elliptical crater marked the site of the wheelpit and the walls and chimney of the roofed dressing floor have been reduced to an amorphous mound of rubble. Two circular buddles are visible and the stone-built leat embankment survives in good condition above and to the west of the wheelpit.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021340: Tinworks, field systems, settlements, warren, cairns and a stone alignment at Headland Warren

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68SE326
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1339548
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX68SE/374/1
• Old SAM Ref Revised: 34499

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUDDLE (Constructed, XIX to Edwardian - 1850 AD (Post) to 1903 AD (Between))
• DRESSING FLOOR (Constructed, XIX to Edwardian - 1850 AD (Post) to 1903 AD (Between))
• LEAT (Constructed, XIX to Edwardian - 1850 AD (Post) to 1903 AD (Between))
• STAMPING MILL (Constructed, XIX to Edwardian - 1850 AD (Post) to 1903 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Circular features and buildings shown on 19th century map covering an area of circa 130 metres north to south by 50 metres east to west.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Large L-shaped building shown on early 20th century map with two round structures to the west and south. Three small adjacent rectangular structures are shown to the south orientated north-west to south-east with a fourth a little further to the south orientated south-west to north-east. An 'Aqueduct' is shown running north-east from the building to a sluice shown as 'Sl.' to the east with another sluice shown to the south of the site.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1986, Tin Mines and Miners of Dartmoor, A photographic record (Monograph). SDV351363.

Detailed photographs of the site have been published showing the mill and dressing floors at work between 1905 and 1915 and after abandonment in the 1930s.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 22-5, Map 24, Figure 24.5 (Monograph). SDV219155.

At the mouth of the gully '3' nothing is to be seen of the sheds once housing the stamps and dressing floor of the mine, nor of the two water wheels which provided the power for them. They were destroyed during World War II when unexploded bombs were brought here from Plymouth to be detonated in safety. All that remains is a small overgrown buddle and, uphill, the end of the launder bank and leat which supplied it.

Whitbourne, A., 2001, Visit to Vitifer and Birch Tor Mines, 3-4 (Article in Serial). SDV305962.

Visible remains of 'Vitifer' mine include the outline of the long dressing shed of 1912, the dressing floors and wheel pit. Other features include two circular buddles and some wood and metal stakes.

Newman, P., 2002, Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines (Report - Survey). SDV363213.

(10/07/2001) A ruined tin dressing floor and stamping mill on the east side of the Redwater valley which once served as the main processing area at Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines. The dressing floor is depicted on the OS 25" map of 1885 and is likely to have origins before 1850 but the remains today reflect the modifications and enlargements of 1903. The dressing floors and mill were obliterated in World War II when unexploded bombs were dealt with here leaving remains which are barely recognisable. The area is now wet and boggy and colonised by dense shrubs. A deep elliptical crater is all that remains of the wheelpit and the walls and chimney of the roofed dressing floor have been reduced to an amorphous mound of rubble. Two circular buddles are visible and the stone-built leat embankment is survives in good condition above and to the west of the wheelpit.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7139 - Headland Warren and the Birch Tor and Vitifer Mines Survey (Ref: A1/20/2001, A1/34/2002)

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