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Summary

Frankmills was the most successful of the Teign silver-lead mines, as well as the deepest and most expensive.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX88SW23
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 447374
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX88SW/33

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BARYTES MINE (XIX - 1857 AD (Between) to 1880 AD (Between))
• FLUORSPAR MINE (XIX - 1857 AD (Between) to 1880 AD (Between))
• IRONSTONE MINE (XIX - 1857 AD (Between) to 1880 AD (Between))
• LEAD MINE (XIX - 1857 AD (Between) to 1880 AD (Between))
• SILVER MINE (XIX - 1857 AD (Between) to 1880 AD (Between))

Full description

Ramsden, J. V., Teign Valley Mines manuscript, 193 (Un-published). SDV296125.

Spargo, T., 1868, Mines of Cornwall and Devon, 178 (Monograph). SDV310938.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map, 101NW (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Frankmills Mine (disused)' shown on OS 6 inch (1906) map and later (1963) edition of the map.

Collins, J. H., 1912, Observations on the West of England Mining Region, 274, 484 (Monograph). SDV323594.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/1995, 4335 (Aerial Photograph). SDV224714.

Ramsden, J. V., 1952, Notes on the Mines of Devonshire, 94 fig.1 (Article in Serial). SDV60737.

Ordish, H. G., 1959, Photographs of Frank Mills engine house (Photograph). SDV310376.

(April 1959) A view of the engine house and stack in 1959, showing the view to the south. Copyright with photographer.

Ordnance Survey, 1963-1996, 1963-1996 National Grid OS Metric (Cartographic). SDV350058.

Beer, K. E., 1978, Mineralisation in the Teign Valley, 77-78 (Article in Serial). SDV310939.

Until its closure in 1880, Frank Mills mine had an output of lead ore, zinc ore, barytes, siderite, fluorspar and silver.

Schmitz, C., 1980, The Teign Valley Silver-Lead Mines 1806-1880, 74-76 (Article in Serial). SDV351052.

Frank Mills was the most successful of the Teign Valley silver-lead mines, as well as the deepest and most expensive.

Dudley, E. R., 1982, Metal mining in the Teign Valley (Worksheet). SDV310914.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1982, Removal of dump material from Wheal Exmouth and Frank Mills dumps etc. Report on Archaeological and Historical Implications., 1-2 fig (Report - Assessment). SDV310373.

(January 1982) A stack and adjoining engine house built 1877-8 at SX 8357 8195, the stack one of only a few in good condition. South-west of stack and engine house are stretches of walling, some of which may be the remains of dressing floors at SX 8355 8193. About 60m north-east of the stack are the ruins of a small stone structure which could have been a powderhouse (SX 8362 8199). At the northern end of the area lie the ruins of several massive stone structures. One of these is a stack and engine house (SX 8362 8208) which housed a 60" pump for the shaft to the west of it, sunk to a depth of 315m. To the west of this again lie the remains of another shaft and another engine's stone foundations, which possibly housed a 42" winding engine.

Burt, R. + Waite, P. + Burnley, R., 1984, Devon and Somerset Mines, 55-56 (Article in Serial). SDV347761.

Production details and ownership given for Frankmills between 1857-1880.

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

Limits of mine visible and recorded.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/JY, 10,11 (Aerial Photograph). SDV314510.

Griffith, F. M., 1988, DAP/JY, 10,11 (no prints). (Aerial Photograph). SDV314510.

Cranstone, D., 1991, The Lead Industry, Site 4 (Report - non-specific). SDV90317.

19th century mine. Engine house plus other ruins at north end. Extensive spoil tips run south from this; to west of these is a small engine house with good stack and extensive dressing waste tips adjacent.
A rather damaged site, retaining some interesting features. Quality relative to Wheal Exmouth depends on below-ground survival, which cannot be reliably assessed. On balance, Wheal Exmouth is probably a better site of the two.

Cranstone, D., 1992, Monuments Protection Programme: The Lead Industry. Step 1 Report (Report - non-specific). SDV355892.

Engine house plus other ruins at northern end very overgrown. Extensive spoil tips run south from this; to west are extensive dressing waste tips. The northern end certainly contains buried structures. Engine house may contain washing floor/dressing mill stratigraphy. Mid to late 19th century.

Richardson, P. H. G., 1992, The Mines of Dartmoor and the Tamar Valley after 1913, 138 (Article in Serial). SDV323598.

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

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

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

(August 1996) Engine house built in similar ornamental style to that at Wheal Exmouth (SX88SW/34). Only granite cylinder footing and decorative base of stack (in dressed limestone) still remain. The house of the winding engine is very ruinous and much of the walling (like that of the pumping engine house) appears to have been deliberately removed, though portions of the east wall still stand. More remains of the crusher house which is similar in design to the house at Aller Mine (SX88SW/37).

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 38.21/in smr. (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Hamilton Jenkin, Dr. A. K., 2005, Mines of Devon, 135, 137, 138, 157 (Monograph). SDV282410.

Bodman, M., 2015, Mills on the Teign. A gazetteer of water-powered sites on the Teign and Bovey and their tributaries, 32-33 (Monograph). SDV360401.

Frank Mills Mine, Christow SX 836 820. Lead and Silver mine developed together with Wheal Exmouth in 1852-1855. Rich lead vein discovered in 1855 and in 1859 dressing floors were established and a leat cuit to provide water from a tributary of the Teign (citing Schmitz). Details of ownership and mine history included.
Visible today are the large waste tips and remains of two engine houses. The main shaft is no longer visible but was the deepest shaft in the valley at 1,050 feet.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV9018 - Woodland Archaeological Survey, Canonteign Woods

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