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Summary

Ausewell or Wheal Hazel Copper Mine, in use as early as 1605 for mining copper and tin. Documentary evidence also exists of ironworking and smelting at the site. This site is included in the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Ausewell or Wheal Hazel Copper Mine. Tin and copper mine in use as early as 1605

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX77SW55
• National Monuments Record: SX77SW57
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1183561
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1397791
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77SW/41

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• COPPER MINE (Constructed, Early Bronze Age to XVIII - 2200 BC? (Between) to 1800 AD (Between))
• IRONSTONE MINE (Constructed, XVI to XVII - 1540 AD (Between) to 1700 AD (Between))
• MINE SHAFT (Constructed, XVII to XVIII - 1601 AD (Between) to 1800 AD (Between))
• OPEN CUT (Constructed, XVII to XVIII - 1601 AD (Between) to 1800 AD (Between))
• SPOIL HEAP (Constructed, XVII to XVIII - 1601 AD (Between) to 1800 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Map object based on this Source.

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

'Old shafts' marked on Ordnance Survey (1906) map.

Ramsden, J. V., 1952, Notes on the Mines of Devonshire, 89, 96 (Article in Serial). SDV60737.

H 7 Hazel see Ausewell. Other details: Figure 1.

Harris, H., 1968, Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor, 183 (Monograph). SDV149229.

At Ausewell Wood there were copper and tin workings as early as 1605. Shaft remains and deep rock cuttings can still be seen on the hillside.

Hamilton Jenkin, Dr. A. K., 1981, Untitled Source, 106-8 (Report - non-specific). SDV245767.

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

Not visible due to tree cover on Royal Air Force aerial photographs.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1991, Untitled Source, 9, 13+1 (Monograph). SDV336667.

Extensive exploitation of copper and iron from the 17th century. The site is likely to provide evidence of prehistoric exploitation as well. Visually impressive openworks, shafts and adits. Field and documentary evidence of ironworking and smelting from as early as 1600 and copper working by around 1700. Other details: In Tavistock Hamlets parish file.

Hedley, L. and Cranstone, D., 1995, Monuments Protection Programme, Zink, Copper, Minor Metals, Step Three: The Copper Industry, Introduction to Step 3 Assessments, Devon 11 (Report - non-specific). SDV357718.

Mentioned.

Newman, P., 1998, Ausewell Wood Ore Processing and Smelting Complex (Report - Survey). SDV350775.

(20/12/1998) Ausewell (alternatively Awsewell) Mine, centred SX728711 consists of an openwork, shafts, adits, leats and an ore processing works (SX 77 SW 52) and iron furnace (SX 77 SW 13).
The disused workings are labelled as tin mines on the OS 2nd edition 1:2500 scale map of 1904 but on Donne's map of 1765, which was surveyed at a time closer to the mines being worked, 'Hazel Mine' is considered to be a copper mine. Hamilton Jenkin, mentions production of copper here with some 170 tons of ore being shipped to smelting works in South Wales in 1725 (Hamilton Jenkin, 1981).
The main evidence of extractive activity at Ausewell Wood is at the so-called Cleft Rock at SX72697090. This comprises an impressive rock-cut open gunnis, with many associated shafts and several adits opening on to the west-facing slope. Two ruined buildings are also visible at the site. A smaller openwork, along with shafts and prospecting pits is located to the north of Cleft Rock. All this evidence of extraction has never been surveyed and some evidence lies within impenetrable conifers (for Cleft Rock see SX 77 SW 57).
Several shafts and prospecting pits sit on the lower slopes of the woodland. One good example is sited at SX72767130, 50m east of a possible blocked adit. The shaft is open with a diameter of 2.5m and has a crescentic heap of spoil on the downslope side. A similar shaft is adjacent to the track at SX72717112 near where a linear gully meets the track.
Access to the site is, and probably always was, by a track from Holne Bridge, which is marked on the OS 1st edition map and all subsequent editions. Although now adopted by the forestry industry, the track was originally constructed to allow transport or ore from the Cleft Rock down to the processing site and thence to the main road at Holne Bridge. Sections of the track, high above the river have been hewn from the solid rock to form a narrow ledge along the slope. The extension up to the mine is still in place. It has a sharp hairpin at one point so that wheeled vehicles and horses could negotiate the gradient and terminates near some shafts at SX72757100.

Newman, P., 2004, Ausewell Wood, Ashburton, Devon, Part II: Ausewell Mine (Wheal Hazel) (Report - Survey). SDV358126.

(30/01/2004) Ausewell or Wheal Hazel copper mine sited near the summit of Ausewell Hill at the cleft rock. The remains consist of a series of open gunnises, shafts, spoil heaps and three ruined buildings. See also the dressing floors and blast furnace (SX 77SW 52).
A series of five parallel rock-cut gunnises reveal where lodes oriented SSW to NNE have been worked. The most impressive element of the site is the open gunnis which exploited the westernmost of the lodes. It extends for a total of 235m and includes the Cleft Rock section. There is a second deep section at the northern end of the worked lode, with intermittent sections between. At the lowest and most northerly point the open gunnis gives way to limited underground working. This consists of a short level which has a high hanging wall and two open shafts. At several points within the worked sections there is evidence for the use of explosives in the form of shotholes. These semi-circular impressions are up to 30cm in length and the original diameter of the hole was about 25-30mm. The other four gunnises are of similar appearance but smaller. Large spoil heaps containing mostly killas are associated with the open gunnises on the steep slopes of the western side. For the long sections of gunnis, north of the Cleft Rock, the material was clearly excavated from the working and dumped straight down the hillside. Spoil from the Cleft Rock end to the south has been tipped down the steep slopes to the south forming rounded heaps. On the NW extremities of the spoil heap is a partially blocked adit, set at 90º to the lode and approximately 10-12m vertically below the top edge of the gunnis. The portal is still visible though much material now fills the entrance and a substantial rounded spoil heap extends 10m to the NW, suggesting this level penetrates the hillside for some depth, perhaps as far back as the gunnis.
Surveyed at 1:1000 and described in detail.

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

This site was considered for designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument during the Monument Protection Programme. The programme ended before the entire list of sites was successfully scheduled so this is included on a local list of Nationally Important Sites.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Map object based on this Source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6724 - Survey of the Cleft Rock Area of Ausewell Mine (Ref: AI/09/2004)

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