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Summary

Remains of a tinner's hut of 4.5 metres by 2.3 metres at Walkham Head south of Tavy Hole with a small shelter of 2.0 metres by 1.1 metres situated in its south-east corner

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of medieval or later streamworking and remains of tinners' huts along the River Tavy at Walkham Head

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 440643
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58SE/32
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX58SE23

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• (Alternate Type) SHEPHERDS HUT (Built, Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• TINNERS HUT (Built, Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Le Messurier, B., 1979, Post-Prehistoric Structures of Central North Dartmoor. A Field Survey, 70 (Article in Serial). SDV269283.

Visited on 11th October 1975. At SX 58508125. A hut 46 metres south of left bank of Tavy at the top of Tavy Hole. Scanty low walled ruin, 2.1 metres by 4.3 metres internally. Tin streaming nearby.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1979, SX58SE23, SX58SE23, photograph (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV268729.

(16/10/1979) A tinners' hut at SX 58528126, as described by Le Messurier (1979). The south end of the hut has been cut back into the river cliff and built up at the north end to a height of 0.5m to form a level platform. The walling is 0.7m wide and 0.3m high with an entrance gap on the west side. Evidence of tin streaming is provided mainly but the broadness of the valley floor, now very marshy, with a very few heaps of tinners' waste barely visible, (extent delineated on 1:10 000). Tin streaming had ceased before 1700 on Dartmoor.
Surveyed at 1:10 000 on MSD. See ground photograph.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Not visible on Royal Air Force verticals.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 110, Map 33, Site 4 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Tinners' hut '4' of 2.1 metres by 4.3 metres at Walkham Head to the south of Tavy Hole.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1993-1998, Dartmoor Royal Forest Project (Report - Survey). SDV346608.

(03/08/1995) SX 5849128. A ruined building on the gentle north-facing slope some 50 metres from the River Tavy, 1.7km south of Fur Tor. The north to south oriented structure measures 4.5 metres by 2.3 metres internally. The southeast corner of the building is occupied by a small shelter, also in ruins. The latter measures 2.0 metres by 1.1 metres internally and does not appear to be recent in origin. Contrary to Authority 2 there is no evidence for tin streaming in the immediate area. This, coupled with its distance from the stream, suggests the function of this feature was not principally allied to the tin industry. It and two others (Monument HOB UID 440640) further upstream may possibly be the remains of shepherd's dwellings or shelters.

Newman, P., 2004, Merrivale Range Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV346874.

(10/18/2004) As described in 1995. Condition is poor but stable.

English Heritage, 2005, Survey Information (miscellaneous date) (Report - Survey). SDV345855.

Rectangular building shown on survey.

GeoInformation Group Ltd, 2010, 1:625 2010 Colour aerial photography for Dartmoor (12.5cm resolution) (Aerial Photograph). SDV346026.

Visible on aerial photograph.

Ordnance Survey, 2023, Mastermap 2023 (Cartographic). SDV365227.

'Tinners Hut (Remains of)' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7441 - Condition survey of the archaeological sites of Merrivale Training Area
• EDV7570 - Condition survey of Merrivale Range training area
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8713 - Merrivale Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8813 - Archaeological and historical investigation of Peat Cutting on North-Western Dartmoor

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