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Summary

Site of three 19th century buildings at Devon Great Consols Railway incline, possibly containing the winder/brake mechanism.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021461: Morwellham Quay: transport infrastructure, part of the water control system and a manganese mill

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BUILDING (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Site of a squarish enclosure shown on 19th century map on the west side of Devon Great Consols Railway line with three small square buildings on the eastern side.

Buck, C., 2005, Wheal Russell Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment, 44 (Report - Assessment). SDV336659.

Site of possible storage or maintenance buildings (Site 55) for the winder engine house (see PRN 72850) on the west side of Devon Great Consols Railway (see PRN 3880) at the northern end of the incline (see PRN 72844). The survey in 2005 found no evidence for the buildings.

Buck, C., 2009, Devon Great Consols Incline Winder, Devon: Archaeological Site Investigations, 9-10 (Report - Excavation). SDV344710.

The site of the possible maintenance buildings is set within a yard with a mostly intact perimeter wall 1.8 - 2.0 metres high. Excavation of a trench at the south-east corner of the yard revealed a wide horizontally round profiled brick feature (possibly up to 3.0 metres diameter), within a rectangular masonry feature (0.4 metres thick, 0.9 metres high and only 0.25 metres below ground level). In its original form it included structural iron components to minimise structural weaknesses in each of the two buildings through vibration and movement of the inner wheels. It is likely that the large iron wheels were horizontally set within the inner rounded brick masonry chambers. The upper sections of these buildings were demolished to remove the two large wheels for scrap value when the mine closed in 1903. However the lower footings of the original brick lined chambers appear to remain. This is a significant feature and carefull removal of the rest of the earth and rubble may reveal a rare form of incline plane winder/brake mechanism. Other details: Figures 2-4, 10.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4040 - Wheal Russell Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment
• EDV4761 - Archaeological Investigations at Devon Great Consols Incline Winder

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