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Summary

Umber, used in paint-making, was worked from the 1870s and after the turn of the century at the east end of the town. A succession of pits were sunk, being refilled in turn after extraction, on a site at the rear of the hospital. The umber was treated in a long shed in ballard lane from which the loaded carts trundled down to the station yard where there was a stamping machine. The high brick works chimney may still be seen (harris). Several earthwork pits are visible on aerial photographs taken from 1946 onwards and on images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77SE/19

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• UMBER WORKINGS (XIX to Early 20th Century - 1870 AD to 1930 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV315272.

Harris, h. /industrial archaeology of dartmoor/(1968)185. Devon and cornwall umber works; umber, used in paint-making, was worked from the 1870s and after the turn of the century at the east end of the town. A succession of pits were sunk, being refilled in turn after extraction, on a site at the rear of the hospital. The umber was treated in a long shed in ballard lane from which the loaded carts trundled down to the station yard where there was a stamping machine. The high brick works chimney may still be seen (harris).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV315273.

Worth, r. N. /tda/8(1876)319/the ancient stannary of ashburton. This mine being worked for umber in 1875 (worth).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV315274.

Satterly, j. /tda/84(1952)34/ashburton in late victorian days. There were umber quarries at the east end and the west end of ashburton in full production in the late 19th century. Some of the umber was used by the truro paintmaking company at the west end of town (satterly).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV315275.

Des=os 6" (1904/1938)108se.

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

Several pits are depicted to the west of Devon and Cornwall Umber Works.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2386-2387 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351061.

Several pits are visible.

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

Not visible on RAF photos.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX7670 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

Several pits are visible.

Hamilton Jenkin, Dr. A. K., 2005, Mines of Devon, 119 (Monograph). SDV282410.

Hamilton Jenkin mentions umber works in the form of rectangular pits north-east of town ‘each one being infilled before starting another close alongside’

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M) (Interpretation). SDV361305.

Three earthwork pits are visible on aerial photographs taken from 1951 onwards and on images derived from lidar data captured between 1998 and 2017. They are depicted, with slightly different extents, on the late-19th century maps, within three adjacent plots. The northernmost appears to have an extension or previous phase on its northern side. They are interpreted as 19th century extractive pits for Devon and Cornwall Umber Works.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV282410	Monograph: Hamilton Jenkin, Dr. A. K.. 2005. Mines of Devon. Mines of Devon. Paperback Volume. 119.
SDV315272	Migrated Record:
SDV315273	Migrated Record:
SDV315274	Migrated Record:
SDV315275	Migrated Record:
SDV319854	Cartographic: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1985. Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP. Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England Aerial Photograph P. Cartographic.
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital). [Mapped feature: #108187 ]
SDV351061	Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1946. RAF/CPE/UK/1890. Royal Air Force Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 FS 2386-2387 10-DEC-1946.
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M). Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV361470	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 1998-2017. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR SX7670 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey: Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (Ref: ACD1748)

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