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Summary

Wheel house at Brookwood Mine, a copper mine which operated between 1845 -1885, latterly under the name of South Devon United mines (1878-1885).

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX76NW65
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1431360

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WHEEL HOUSE (Built, Post Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1540 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Newman, P., 2005, Brookwood and Wheal Emma Copper Mines, Buckfastleigh, Devon: An Archaeological Survey (Report - Survey). SDV359199.

(30/04/2005) Wheel house at Brookwood Mine (SX 76 NW 51), a copper mine which operated between 1845 -1885, latterly under the name of South Devon United mines (1878-1885).
A large wheelhouse, oriented east - west and sited near the bottom of the moderate slope on the south side of the River Mardle. The south wall forms a revetment against the slope and still stands to its full height of 4m while the opposite north wall, now mostly collapsed would have been freestanding. All walls were built from killas and are 0.95m thick. The internal dimensions are 10.05m by 2.2m and it could have housed a pitchback or overshot waterwheel approximately 10m (32ft) by 2m (6ft 6in) breast. The western interior of the structure has a stone cross-division extending for 0.75m across the end forming a compartment of 1.65m by the width of the wheelhouse (2.2m); this is certainly a later alteration after the wheel had been removed. Water was diverted to the wheel via a leat drawing its source further up the Mardle at SX 7151 6759). The purpose of this waterwheel is not known. There are no associated structures to house crushing or processing equipment and it is well away from any shafts. It seems most likely to have powered pumps in a shaft some distance away but with no obvious alignment and no evidence of an associated flat-rod channel it is not possible to state this with certainty.
Surveyed at 1:1000 scale and described in detail.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6840 - Survey of Brookwood and Wheal Emma Copper Mines (Ref: AI/01/2005)

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