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Summary

Remains of Bagtor Mine, alternatively known as Haytor Consols, a tin mine which attempted to work lodes within the upper tributary valleys of the River Lemon and Sig, mostly in the 1850s and 60s, but evidence for streamworking at the site is much earlier. Underground work is also recorded as Crownley Parks. This site is included in the local list of Nationally Important Dartmoor sites.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthworks and stone walls of a Bronze age parallel reave system on Haytor Down with a number of hut circle settlements, enclosures and prehistoric cairns, plus 19th century Bagtor Tin Mine

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 1221561
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77NE/34
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STREAMWORKS (XI to XVIII - 1100 AD to 1800 AD)
• MINE (XIX - 1835 AD to 1866 AD (Between))

Full description

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

H. M. Stationary Office, 1929, Abandoned Mines (Monograph). SDV215700.

Bagtor. Plan. R54 b. M. R. O. Tin.

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

Other details: Figure 1.

Harris, H., 1968, Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor, 200 (Monograph). SDV149229.

Bagtor Mine (SX765759); site includes remains of buildings, dressing floors and a large wheelpit. A 60 foot waterwheel was here in 1862. Above, on the down, are old surface workings and remnants of shafts and adits. Small quantities of tin were produced, probably early in the 1860s.

Atkinson, M. + Burt, R. + Waite, P., 1978, Dartmoor Mines. The Mines of the Granite Mass, 12 (Monograph). SDV346394.

Bagtor Tin Mine (SX762759), 1 1/2 miles west of Ilsington was worked underground from the early 1860s until 1865, and produced around 15 tons of black tin between 1863 and 1865. Old openworks at the site suggest earlier mining activity. Remains consist of dressing floors and a large wheelpit, which housed the 60 foot waterwheel installed in 1862 to pump the mine which may have been the largest in use on the moor at that time. This was later sold to another moor mine after the closure of Bagtor.
The mine worked three lodes coursing approximately east-west and the remains of the open workings, adits and shafts can be found upvalley from the dressing floors. The mine was worked by three adits and three shafts, but of these, only one adit and one shaft remain partly open, restricting access to the underground workings. Other details: Gazeteer number 1.

Everett, C., 1988, Haytor Down - Summary of Archaeological Features, HD46, Map 2 (Report - Survey). SDV359684.

Crownley Parks steamworks.

Newman, P., 2002, Haytor Down, Ilsington, Devon, 15-18, Figure 8 (Report - Survey). SDV346395.

Crownley Parks streamworks and the remains of a small 19th century mining enterprise known as Bagtor Mine. The remains of the streamworking here has been split into two branches, with a narrow unworked strip of land in between. The southern branch, which also forks into two separate elements is up to 6.0 meters deep and contains some large linear spoil mounds. The northern branch contains few spoil mounds and is possibly a lode, rather than an alluvial deposit. Water for use in this working was leated in from the River Sig’s northern tributary and two reservoirs and water diversion channels survive to the north-west of the working at SX76157615 and SX76127620.
A small lode orientated south-west to north-east can be seen at SX76137627 which is approximately 100 meters long and unusually narrow at only 2.0 meters wide in places. The faint remains of a rectangular building can be seen at SX76117624 which includes an earthfast stone with seven mortar indentations, which could indicate rare evidence of hand-stamping, possibly associated with copper production.
Most of the pits here are arranged in east-west alignments, suggesting they were lode back extractive pits, following the lines of the lodes. Other trail pits used for prospecting are scattered over the area.
Remains of structures associated with Bagtor Mine, including dressing floors, adits, wheelpit, and buildings and tramway are also described in detail here. Other details: Figure 8.

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

Shown on survey.

English Heritage, 2005, Industrial Survey Information (Report - Survey). SDV346396.

Centred at SX76317607. Tin streamworks and lodeworkings known as Crownley Parks. Map object based on this Source.

Hamilton Jenkin, Dr. A. K., 2005, Mines of Devon, 126-7 (Monograph). SDV282410.

Extensive area of ground in a shallow valley near the head-waters of the River Lemon has been worked since ancient times for alluvial tin. In the mid 19th century, this area was worked by Haytor Consols, with a 30 foot wheel driving 32 heads of stamps and large areas of dressing floors laid out. The floors were connected to the Hemsworthy workings by a railway 1 ¾ miles in length. At the Crownley Works two adits were driven and a small amount of tin was raised here, as well as copper ore. In 1862 working was taken over by the Bagtor Mining Companyn and a new 60 by 2 ½ foot wheel was erected here to drive the stamps. By the end of 1866 the company was wound up due to the small amount of black tin being extracted.

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

Map object based on this Source.

Richards, A. F., 2011, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV282412.

The source detail ('Bagtor. Plan. R54 b…') was unreferenced - has been entered with the Abondoned Mines source record, although possibly should be linked to one of the others.

Newman , P., 2015, Rippon Tor Premier Archaeological Landscape, Dartmoor National Park, Devon, 50 (Report - Survey). SDV359145.

Bagtor Tin Mine
Remains of Bagtor Mine, alternatively known as Haytor Consols, a tin mine which attempted to work lodes within the upper tributary valleys of the River Lemon and Sig, mostly in the 1850s and 60s. Evidence within the Bagtor enclosure includes capped shafts with associated spoil and whim plats, also wheelpits and a tramway. (see MDV26531; 26532; 26524; 51797). Condition varies. SX75866 75708

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6836 - Rippon Tor Premier Archaeological Landscape survey
• EDV7021 - Haytor Down: Survey Report (Ref: A1/2/1999)

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