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Summary

Originally known as Arundel Mine, Druid Mine was worked in the second half of the 19th century for copper. The engine house and chimney survive.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork and structural remains of Druid Mine, as well as curving bank in Boro Wood

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1461695
• National Record of the Historic Environment: SX77SW64
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77SW/42
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 375978
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BOB SETTING (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))
• BOILER HOUSE (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))
• COPPER MINE (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))
• CRUSHING MILL (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Recorded as Druid Copper Mine (Disused). Several buildings are depicted and a chimney and two shafts are marked.

Collins, J. H., 1912, Observations on the West of England Mining Region (Monograph). SDV323594.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 2383 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Ramsden, J. V., 1952, Notes on the Mines of Devonshire, 93, Fig. 1 (Article in Serial). SDV60737.

D 26 Druid's, Ashburton.

Harris, H., 1968, Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor, 185 (Monograph). SDV149229.

Druid mine was probably worked for copper during the mid-19th century, and had 3 shafts. The ruins of the stack and engine house are visible from the road to the west of Borowood.

Department of Environment, 1973, Ashburton, 5 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV300597.

Mid 19th century, probably worked for copper. Tall circular chimney remains, and ruins of engine house. Stone, with top of chimney formed in red brick.

Booker, F., 1975, Druid Mine (Photograph). SDV326396.

Photograph of stack and engine house.

The Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England Aerial Photograph Unit, 1985, The Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England Aerial Photograph Project (Interpretation). SDV340940.

Building visible and recorded.

Laithewate, M., 1990, Druid Mine (Correspondence). SDV351140.

The owner of Druid Copper Mine confirmed that the mine ceased working in late 1888. It never worked in modern times.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1991, An Assessment of Copper Mining in Devon (Copper, Brass, Tin), 8, 15-17 (Report - Assessment). SDV60709.

Hedley, L. and Cranstone, D., 1995, Monuments Protection Programme, Zink, Copper, Minor Metals, Step Three: The Copper Industry, Introduction to Step 3 Assessments, 1, 5, 18, Devon 12 (Report - non-specific). SDV357718.

12. Druid Mine SX 745 716. Definite national importance.
Remains of 19th century copper mine East of Ausewell Common. Fine beam engine house with chimney, bob-setting, loading, and cylinder ramp, the latter a rare survival. There are signs of extensive alterations for the insertion of a replacement engine. To the South is a wheel pit which probably powered an ore-crusher.
Mine; bob setting - This term has replaced bob pit, to include examples where the surviving feature is a pillar for the bearing of the balance or angle-bob rather than a pit. Ore works; crushing mill- no modification.

Nance, R. W. + Nance, R. D., 1996, A Survey of Engine Houses on the Mines of South Devon, 109-122 (Article in Serial). SDV241746.

The original engine house has been extensively modified. Built of dressed granite with some pretensions at appearance, as shown by the granite piers in the south side wall and 4 arched panels at the top of the brick stack.

Nance, R. D., 1996, Project Design for a Survey of Engine Houses on the Mines of South Devon (Report - Assessment). SDV222663.

Homer, R., 1996, The Whiddon Tin Mine, Ashburton, 155-171 (Article in Serial). SDV340417.

Situated a mile north of Ashburton and shown on Donn’s 1765 map of Devon where it is marked as Whiddon Smelting House Tin and Copper Mine. The mine comprised of a shallow deep adit, three shafts, a cross-cut and a number of winzes. Small-scale workings were carried out from 1485 until the 1870’s, with mining equipment being brought from Wheal Betsy Mine in 1846.

Nance, R. W. + Nance, R. D., 1996, Wheal Druid and the Engine Houses of Dartmoor, 4-6 (Article in Serial). SDV340907.

The mine was opened in 1853 as Arundel mine with Victoria shaft started in 1854 and a 30 inch cylinder pumping beam engine was installed. In 1856 the mine was restarted as the Arundel Copper Mining Company and after a further stoppage was reopened in 1860 as the Devon New Copper Mine and in 1866 as the Druid Mining Company. In 1869 as the new Victoria (South Devon) Mine the original engine was replaced and the engine house modified to accommodate a 56 inch cylinder pumping engine. The final workings in 1872 were under the name the Ashburton Tin & Copper Mining Co Ltd.

Newman, P., 2002, Boro Wood, Ashburton, Devon, 5 (Report - Survey). SDV351138.

Documentation survives for Arundell or Druid Mine from 1852 until the 1870s.

Fletcher, M. + Newman, P., 2002, Druid Mine, Ashburton: An archaeological and historical survey by English Heritage (Report - Survey). SDV359638.

Mine typical of 19th century ventures, The engine house from 1854 survives.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Druid Mine (disused) marked.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8596 - Druid Mine Survey

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