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Summary

Irregularly shaped mounds and hollows are visible on aerial photographs of 1948 as earthworks within a large and unevenly shaped earthwork pit, under the tree cover of Newpark Wood on the south-west facing slopes below Rook Tor, Cornwood. Field survey has identified large area of surface workings, with two quarried areas, each fed by streams in lined culverts and channels. No buildings but the area is indicative of large-scale tin-streaming activity of probable medieval to post-medieval date.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX56SE/249

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• STREAMWORK (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV164483.

Des=worksheet in parish file. Vis=14/4/1982 (greeves). Deep bowl-shaped excavation probably the result of tin working in the medieval or early modern period. Stream flows out to join piall river. May be artificially deepened.

South West Heritage Trust, 1838-1848, Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments (Cartographic). SDV359954.

The visible earthworks fall within Plot 971 (Broadpark and Newpark plantation) on the Tithe Map for Cornwood.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2494, RAF/CPE/UK/2494 RS 4066-4067 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361461.

Earthwork pits and channels are visible under tree cover.

Berry, N. + Simmonds, T., 1996, An Archaeological Survey of Boro Wood (SX7571), Erme Wood (SX6357), Wistmans Wood (SX6177) and Newpark Waste (SX5961), 31, NW18 (Report - Survey). SDV360518.

SX5958 6086 - surface workings.
Two large quarried areas, each fed by streams in lined culverts and channels, with further large and deep run-off channels for spoil removal. No building remains visible, but whole area is indicative of large scale tin-streaming activity. Main quarried area measures approximately 100 metres by 60 metres by 10 metres deep with run-off channel affected by forestry work. Smaller cutting to east approximately 200 metres long, up to 15 metres deep and cut very narrow by stream action. Upcast is visible along the edges indicating that it was deliberately constructed, but since cut deeper by the streams which still feed the cuttings. Sides of gully level out towards the south.

Environment Agency, 1998-2017, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: South Devon Coast to Dartmoor, LIDAR SX5960 Environment Agency DTM 01-JAN-1998 to 31-MAY-2017 (Cartographic). SDV361470.

The rough extent of the earthwork pits are identifiable from lidar derived visualisations.

Ordnance Survey, 2019, MasterMap 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362729.

The earthworks are schematically depicted on the current MasterMap base map.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2021, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

Irregularly shaped mounds and hollows are visible on aerial photographs of 1948 as earthworks within large and unevenly shaped earthwork pits on the south-west facing slopes below Rook Tor, under the tree cover of Newpark Wood, Cornwood.
Due to the moderate tree cover on the 1948 images it is difficult to interpret the visible earthworks. The density of current plantation planting has also limited the effectiveness of the available lidar data in identifying and accurately transcribing the earthworks.
The large pit earthworks resemble quarries but the irregular surfaces within are reminiscent of tin-streaming remains.
The earthworks do not correspond with any features depicted on the Tithe Map for Cornwood, the apportionments listing the plot (971) as plantation. The extractive activity therefore probably predated the early 19th century by some time and is probably medieval to post-medieval date.
The earthworks are schematically depicted on the current MasterMap base map.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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