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Summary

Remains of late 18th century malt house, converted to tenements in mid-19th century. Eastern end restored and used as offices and display space.

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

• MALT HOUSE (XVIII - 1790 AD to 1790 AD)

Full description

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

Map object based on this Source.

Gaskell-Brown, C., 1977, Morwellham: An Archaeological Survey, 30-31 (Report - Survey). SDV344219.

A rectangular building with a square wing projecting from the north-west corner, built as a malthouse in 1790 and converted to tenements in 1856-7. The main block was divided into three sections at ground and first-floor level, and although 19th century photographs show the building had three storeys, the walls only survive to second-floor level. The square wing at the north-west corner retains evidence that it was a malting kiln, and the photograph appears to show the pyramidal roof of this. There is no evidence for the internal arrangements of the building as tenements, and in 1973 the eastern end of the building was restored and is used as offices and display rooms.

Passmore, A. J., 2009, Archaeological Recording at Morwellham Quay 2008-9, 5 (Report - Survey). SDV344217.

Archaeological recording took place in the courtyard to the north of the malt house in advance of landscaping and repaving. Natural clay, along with underlying bedrock, was exposed.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

Map object based on this Source.

Balmond, F., 2020, The Malthouse, Morwellham Quay: Gulworthy, Devon: Heritage Statement, 2-47; Figs 1-33 (Report - Assessment). SDV364350.

The Malthouse building represents one of the earlier structures within this part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site. Since its construction in the late 18th century it appears to have been briefly used as a granary and corn mill before becoming a Malthouse and was converted to tenements in the mid-19th century to house the expanding number of residents at Morwellham as a result of the large quantities of copper ore being produced by the Devon Great Consols. The north eastern end of the building was repaired in the 1970s for use as a pottery and store; the remaining section left derelict and roofless. Archaeological recording and excavations were undertaken in the 1970s and om 2008, revealing the remains of a kiln to the rear of the building; the floor of the Malthouse appears to have been left exposed since this date, leading to an apparent loss of some of the surviving historic floor. Collapsing sections of wall in the rear (north west) and south west elevations have been infilled with concrete block in the last decade to prevent the total collapse of the structure. The Malthouse has reached a critical point in its existence where a decision over whether it will continue as a standing building at this key centre for interpretation of the World Heritage Site or be allowed to collapse into a ruin must be made.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV9106 - Heritage Assessment, The Malthouse, Morwellham Quay, Gulworthy (Ref: GMM20)

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