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Summary

Haytor Quarries extracted granite mainly in the 19th century. The quarry closed in 1865 but it was used to provide stone for Exeter War Memorial in 1919

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77NE/14

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• QUARRY (XVIII to XIX - 1750 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Devon County Council, 1838-1848, Tithe Mosaic, approximately 1838-1848 (Cartographic). SDV349431.

'Haytor Quarry' shown on mid 19th century Tithe Map to the north of the later works.

Worth, R. N., 1875, The Economic Geology of Devon, 214 (Article in Serial). SDV256360.

Granite quarried here for use as building stone.

Appleton, E., 1875, The Economic Geology of Devon, 235 (Article in Serial). SDV217610.

Granite transported for the first leg of its journey to London by way of the Haytor Granite Tramway.

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

'Haytor Quarries' shown on 19th century map as a large earthwork.

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

Shown on early 20th century map.

Adams, E. A., 1946, The Old Heytor Granite Railway, 154, Plate (Article in Serial). SDV341504.

Main Haytor Quarry. Last worked in 1919 to cut block for the Exeter War Memorial.

Cocks, J. V. S., 1971-1973, The Haytor Granite Quarries, 13-15 (Article in Serial). SDV283046.

History of quarry given.

Minchinton, W. E., 1976, Industrial Archaeology in Devon, 26 (Monograph). SDV7016.

The Haytor Granite Quarries were worked by George Templer, son of the builder of Stover Canal, early in the 19th century. For a period several thousand tons of granite were exported each year and used in the construction of the British Museum, National Gallery, London Bridge etc. In 1850 100 men were employed; but by 1858 the trade had declined due to competition from coastal Cornish quarries and the quarries were closed in 1865.

National Monuments Record, 1980, NMR 1746, 113 (Aerial Photograph). SDV345449.

Photograph taken on 21st April 1980.

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

Visible and recorded.

Griffith, F. M., 1985, DAP/EN, 12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV346962.

Photograph taken on 17th March 1985.

Griffith, F. M., 1985, DAP/EO, 5-5a (Aerial Photograph). SDV307278.

Photograph taken on 17th March 1985.

Devon County Council + Teignbridge District Council, 1985, Haytor Granite Tramway and Stover Canal (Report - non-specific). SDV349496.

Stanier, P., 1986, Granite quarrying in Devon and Cornwall (Article in Serial). SDV283053.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/JY, 12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV314510.

Photograph taken on 21st January 1988.

Griffith, F., 1988, Devon's Past. An Aerial View (Monograph). SDV64198.

Haytor Quarry is a dramatic illustration of the link between quarrying and transportation: the success of the quarry, high on the side of Haytor Down, was dependent upon the construction of a tramway to remove the products of the quarry from the moor to a canal that served to carry the granite down to the sea for shipping. The quarry, tramway and canal started work around 1820. They were developed by George Templer of Stover. The last use of Haytor granite was in 1919 when the quarries provided the stone for the Exeter war memorial. The quarries are still visible on the ground today.

Everett, C., 1988, Haytor Down - Summary of Archaeological Features, 3 (Report - Survey). SDV359684.

There are six areas of quarrying on Haytor Down with the largest being Haytor Quarry and Holwell Quarry. Granite was first obtained from the area in the second half of the 18th century. The granite tramway was constructed around 1820 to transport the stone and had several branch lines and sidings.

Devon County Council, 1988, Templer Way Guide for the Walker (Leaflet). SDV283051.

Griffith, F. M., 1989, DAP/OX, 4-5 (Aerial Photograph). SDV307286.

Photograph taken on 21st July 1989.

Harris, H., 1994, The Haytor Granite Tramway and Stover Canal, 39 (Monograph). SDV341541.

The Haytor Quarries were developed by George Templer from 1813. The main quarry is at SX 760775. Fallen boom of a derrick and an abandoned winch are visible.

English Heritage, 1996, Monument Protection Programme, Stone Quarrying, Step 2 Shortlist (Un-published). SDV351124.

Haytor Granite Quarry, 1820-1865. Small flooded quarries with tramway using rails made from granite blocks, now promoted as a footpath.

Hedley, I. + Hodgkinson, D. + Richardson, S. + Trueman, M., 1999, Quarrying Industry, Step 3 (Revised), Step 3 (Report - non-specific). SDV338675.

Newman, P., 1999, 2002, Haytor Down, Ilsington, Devon (Revised), 23-24 (Report - Survey). SDV346395.

Haytor Quarry is the largest and probably most productive of the five major quarries. There are two areas of extractive activity at the site with many associated spoil heaps. Activity extends over an area of approximately 4 hectares. Visible evidence of quarrying methods is limited to shot holes in the quarry face and marks left by feather and tare cutting.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 2002, Haytor Down: The Archaeology (Plan - measured). SDV359685.

'Haytor Quarry' shown on survey plan.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

'Haytor Quarries (disused)' shown on modern mapping with two irregular shaped ponds.

Griffith, F. M., 21/12/1986, DAP/HH, 11-12 (Aerial Photograph). SDV350012.

Photograph taken on 21st December 1986.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7021 - Haytor Down: Survey Report (Ref: A1/2/1999)

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