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Summary

Foxhole Mine lies on the west side of Doetor Brook amid remains of earlier tin streamworks. The mine was active between 1845 and 1872 and was associated with similar remains on the Rattlebrook to the east. Also known as Wheal Frederick Tin Mine

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021214: Foxhole Mine and other tinworks south east of Arms Tor

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX58NW48 SX 58 NW 48
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1392058
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX58NW/46
• Old SAM Ref: 34478
• Pastscape: 1392058

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MINE BUILDING (Constructed, XIX - 1845 AD (Between) to 1872 AD (Between))
• STAMPING MILL (Constructed, XIX - 1845 AD (Between) to 1872 AD (Between))
• TAIL RACE (Constructed, XIX - 1845 AD (Between) to 1872 AD (Between))
• TIN MINE (Constructed, XIX - 1845 AD (Between) to 1872 AD (Between))
• TRAMWAY (Constructed, XIX - 1845 AD (Between) to 1872 AD (Between))

Full description

Williams, J., 1861, Cornwall and Devon Mining Industry (Unknown). SDV227928.

Hunt, R., 1870-1872, Mineral Statistics (Unknown). SDV241727.

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

'Foxhole Mine (tin disused)' shown on the Ordnance Survey 25 inch (1880s) map on the west side of 'Doetor Brook'.

Collins, J. H., 1895, Mineralogy of Cornwall and Devon (Monograph). SDV242421.

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

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

Ramsden, J. V., 1952, Notes on the Mines of Devonshire, 94-95 fig 1 (Article in Serial). SDV60737.

F15 and F19 Frederic or Foxhole Mine.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1990, An Assessment of Dartmoor Tinworking, 28 (Report - Assessment). SDV343684.

Wheal Frederick. A short-lived mid-19th century mine. Has a well preserved mine office and dressing floor (including leat, embankment and wheelpit) containing round buddles which are likely to be the earliest on the moor.

Butler, J., 1991, Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities: Volume Two - The North, 223, Map 43 (Monograph). SDV219155.

Remains of Foxhole Mine on the west bank of the Doetor Brook. The lack of any production records of this 19th century tin mine suggest it was not particularly successful. A short leat is taken off the river upstream from a clapper bridge to a launder bank in almost perfect condition. Water flowed from the wheel pit below of 8 metres long by 1.8 metres wide, to a round buddle with central spreader still in place, before returning to the stream. The walls of the two roomed mine building, each with a fireplace, stand to a considerable height with an entrance facing the river.

Cranstone, D. + Hedley, I., 1995, Monuments Protection Programme: The Tin Industry Step 3 Site Assessments, Site Number 23 (Report - non-specific). SDV357946.

Foxhole tin mine (or Wheal Frederick)
Description: Short-lived mid-19th century mine; excellent example of small mine retaining original range of features. The round buddles are unusual, retaining central bearing and track round outside; could be very early round frames. There are also remains of a stamping mill and wheelpit.
Landscape: Within diffuse West Dartmoor mining landscape. Connected to Tin 24 by stream works of average quality.
Archaeology: Moderate.
Period: Mid-19th century.
Assessment: Good example of small self-contained mine; buddles/frames may be important for study of development of ore processing technology.
Action: Schedule.
Management: Minor conservation.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1997, Tin Stamping Mills of Dartmoor after AD 1750, 6-8 (Article in Serial). SDV346020.

Bodman, M., 1998, Water-Powered Sites in Devon, 27, 32 (Report - non-specific). SDV305931.

Ancient Monuments, 2003, Schedule notes (Schedule Document). SDV227924.

SX 54768594. The remains of Foxhole tin mine and other tinworks. The remains include a stamping mill, buildings and a dressing floor. The stamping mill survives as a wheel pit, with a stone-lined tailrace leading from it. The dressing floor contains two circular buddles and a number of channels and hollows. To the west are the remains of two buildings, the largest of which is probably the Count House. A leat embankment carried water to the mill and survives as a revetted bank. A length of tramway runs north from the mine and crosses the Doetor Brook on a small bridge formed of eight stone slabs. The mine was active in the middle of the 19th century. A large tin streamwork lies north and south of the mine, surviving as earthworks, all from a period earlier than the mine. Associated remains include pits, trenches, buildings and an adit (22/12/2003).

Greeves, T. A. P., 2003, Wheal Frederick Tin Mine - Doe Tor Brook, 22-24 (Article in Serial). SDV359759.

For details of documentary evidence see Greeves 2003.

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 2003-2004, Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey (Report - Survey). SDV350801.

(20/02/2004) The remains of Wheal Frederick tin mine lies on the west side of Doe Tor Brook amid remains of earlier tin streamworks. The mine was active between 1845 and 1872 and was associated with similar remains on the Rattlebrook to the east. The mine was never known as Foxhole Mine as stated by authority 1. The remains comprise a wheelpit and stamping mill, dressing floor with circular buddles and a building. The wheelpit is constructed in granite at the foot of the streamwork scarp and measures 7.6 metres by 1.3 metres. The interior is filled with tumbled masonry. The stamps area, consisting of a flat-topped platform, is on the north side and measures 4.5 metres by 6.9 metres. A 25 metres long stone-lined tailrace leads from the lower end of the wheelpit to the top of the dressing floor. To the north-west of the wheelpit is a substantial leat embankment with stone revetted sides. It measures 17.5 metres long and stands to 1.5 metres high. A clear leat channel of up to 4 metres wide and 1 metre deep can be traced for some distance back to the Doe Tor Brook which supplied water to it. The dressing floor comprises a roughly triangular level area adjacent to the stream at the southern end of the site. The floor is revetted on two sides and contains two circular buddles, each of which is also surrounded by a low curving wall. The buddles consist of circular depressions with fragments of a masonry lining around the circumference. Both have a diameter of 6.5 metres. South of the buddles there are additional rectangular pits and stone lined channels also associated with the tin dressing process. At the centre of the site is the roofless shell of a single-storey stone building with the outline of its gables still partly surviving. The main building has two cells, each with a fireplace in the end wall, and has a central entrance on the east side. The overall internal dimensions are 6 metres by 3.6 metres and the walls are 0.6 metres thick and mortared. An extension to the building on the north side has internal dimensions of 4.4 metres by 3.6 metres and tumbled walls. A tramway delivered tin ore to the stamps and is visible as a curvilinear earthwork which curves across the streamwork where in places it has stone revetted sides. The tramway was conveyed over the small stream via a bridge of eight slabs of granite set edge to edge. Surveyed at 1:500 scale.

Ordnance Survey, 2024, Mastermap 2024 (Cartographic). SDV365834.

'Foxhole Mine (disused)' shown on modern mapping.

Historic England, 2024, National Heritage List for England, 1021214 (National Heritage List for England). SDV365835.

Foxhole Mine is represented by a stamping mill, a group of buildings and a dressing floor. The water supply to the mill was carried to the wheel on a leat embankment and timber launder. The leat embankment survives as a revetted bank standing up to 1.7 metres high, on which sits a leat measuring 0.9 metres wide and up to 0.7 metres deep. The timber launder survives only as a buried feature. The stamping mill survives as a substantial wheelpit measuring 8 metres long by 1.3m wide and the machinery would have sat on a stone faced platform on the eastern side. The tailrace leading from the wheelpit is stone lined, measures 24m long by 1 metre wide and is 0.7 mtrese deep. The tin ore crushed under the stamps was carried to the nearby dressing floor which survives as two circular buddles together with a number of channels and hollows contained within a terraced area denoted by a drystone revetment. Two buildings associated with the mine survive to the west of the dressing floor. The largest of these, is probably the Count House and survives as a two-roomed building with an extension. The mortared granite walls stand up to 2.9 metres high and still have traces of plaster adhering to them in places. Heating was provided by fireplaces against each of the short walls and lighting was provided by east facing windows which overlook the dressing floor. The second building survives as a 3.3 metres long by 2.2 metres wide structure denoted by earthworks and drystone revetment. This building has a north facing doorway.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range

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