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Summary

The remains of four Brunton calciners at Gawton mine are terraced into the hillside by the access way to the quay. Built in 1897; a rare survival.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1002667: Gawton arsenic mine and flue

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX46NE/527/3
• Old SAM County Ref: 1024

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CALCINER (Built, XIX to Late 20th Century - 1897 AD to 1987 AD)

Full description

Timms, S., 1985, An Archaeological Assessment of the Remains of the Quay, Mine and Arsenic Works at Gawton, Tavistock Hamlets, 8.2, appendix (Report - Assessment). SDV352213.

8.2 - Calciners noted on sources dated 1906, 1953, 1984. Fair to poor condition. Remains of three Brunton calciners built in 1897. Rare survival.

Dixon, T. + Matthews, A. + Pye A. R. + Slater, W. D., 1988, Gawton Mine and Arsenic Works. The Field Survey. 1988, 25-27 (Report - Survey). SDV222516.

Four Brunton calciners (a-d) are terraced into the hillside by the access way to the quay.

(a) largely ruinous, with only small fragments of the south and north walls surviving. Partially blocked opening in south wall equivalent to that in south wall of (b), and door/opening in west wall facing that in east wall of (b). Holes through lower part of walls probably held frames supporting machinery. Brick arched stokehole in centre of north wall. Inside, a fragment of the brick lining of the calciner table setting survives. On the east side a low shillet wall forms a platform or small structure.

(b) north and south walls partly survive with a fragment of east wall. Otherwise a mirror image of (a). Apparent doorway at north end of east wall. Stokehole in north wall. Small, partly blocked opening in east end of south wall may represent exhaust for fumes. At some point the gap between (b) and (c) has been blocked on its south side by a high shillet wall.

(c) apart from west wall and fragment of south wall this has almost completely collapsed. Opening or small doorway survives high up in west wall. Small trace of wht may be calciner table setting. Top of stokehole visible in centre of side of north wall.

(d) interior filled with the setting for a Brunton calciner. Most walls survive, though in fairly poor condition, and partly demolished. Roofline appears to be orientated east-west since east gable survives to full height, with doorway at its north end. Probable entrance at east end of south wall, but this is obscured by rubble. Several openings in north, south and east walls level with top of calciner setting. Any equivalent holes in west wall obscured by rubble. Stokehole in north wall.

Between (c) and (d) is a small gap which may correspond with a possible culvert indicated by presence of a tunnel through trackway to north. Flues belonging to (a) and (b), and (c) and (d) feed into the 1895 flue. Of these, that belonging to (a) is the best preserved, though rapidly deteriorating. An iron plate survives on inner edge of flue (b). Other details: Fig 17, Plates 15-16. Survey- Spring/summer 1988.

Weddell, P. J. + Pye, A. R., 1989, Gawton Mine and Arsenic Works: The Documentary Research 1988 (Report - non-specific). SDV263249.

Buck, C., 2003, Gawton Mine, Devon, 8 (Report - Survey). SDV222530.

The best preserved Brunton calciner at Cawton mine was filled with rubble in 2003 and the walls were partially ruinous. Brick quoins in the south west corner had been removed causing instability. Exterior consolidation was recommended. Other details: Figs 5, 8.

Buck, C., 2006, Gawton Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment, 46-7 (Report - Assessment). SDV344672.

Four new Brunton Calciners had been erected by 1897, to replace the 1895 Oxland Calciner. The buildings are in relatively poor condition. The remains mainly consist of parts of the four corners of each calciner building, with rubble filled interiors. The crumbling remains of the interconnecting arsenic flues upslope of the calciners can be seen going towards the main arsenic flue. Other details: Figure 36, site 43.

Buck, C., 2006, Gawton Mine, Devon: Impact Assessment Report, 24-25 (Report - Assessment). SDV348353.

Survival of the calciners is poor, the most extant being the southernmost, however the brick masonry quoins running up the corner return are missing and the building is suffering as a result. Also, a lintelled opening recorded in 2003 has now disappeared, the lintel and part of the wall now lying on the ground. In order for the building to remain intact, parts of the front elevation of the building will need to be repointed and the brick quoins replaced with a similar brick. Some of the bricks forming the quoin stones on the north side of the building are loose and will need to be re-mortared, otherwise the front wall will collapse. The building is also contaminated with arsenic, and the intention is to de-contaminate, it before conserving it in order to ensure its structural stability. Other details: Figure 4, site 43; photograph figure 14.

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

Depicted on the modern maps.

Clive Meaton, 2023, Gawton Mine, Devon- Costed and Prioritised Proposals for Capital Works for the Conservation and Management of Gawton Mine Scheduled Monument (Redacted Costs Version), 105-106, Photograph 46 and 47 (Report - Survey). SDV366131.

Four Brunton Calciners were constructed in 1897, presumably to increase capacityover the earlier Oxland Calciner (Site No. 44). Dressed material was brought down from the Jigger House (Site No. 37) for burning, although it is uncertain how this material wastransported. Burnt material from these calciners would then have been taken to the Arsenic Refinery (Site No. 45), which would have contained reverberatory furnaces for further refining.
In 2006 the Brunton Calciners were found to be in relatively poor condition, with the
principle remains comprising parts of the four corners of each building. Crumbling remains of the interconnecting arsenic flues were identified upslope, heading towards the main Arsenic Flue (Site No. 28). Given the high level of arsenic reside likely to be embedded in parts of the surviving walls, consolidation was not considered appropriate. It was recommended that the site was fenced off.
The Brunton Calciners were densely overgrown. Given their condition and general inaccessibility, they were only inspected from the adjacent path. They were found to be as described in 2006, with the principle remains comprising corner elements of the four buildings, within some remnant side walls also visible. Some interesting structural elements remained visible from the track, including brick cornering, brick window jambs/reveals, and brick arched stoke/access holes. The surviving masonry was very open jointed where visible, with frequent voids, and a precipitated residue of uncertain origin was abundant on exposed walls. The Brunton Calciners were considered to be in poor condition. The Brunton Calciners were an important element of the arsenic refining process and will contain historical and evidential information relating to the production of arsenic at Gawton Mine, at a time when there was an increased focus on refining methods and the production of high quality arsenic, so as to maximise profits. Therefore, the remains of the BruntonCalciners are considered to be of medium significance. The recommendations provided in 2006 remain unchanged. Consolidation works to the structures are not considered appropriate given health and safety concerns. It is recommended that the Site is fenced off from the adjacent track. Site No. 43.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV3171 - Unnamed Event
• EDV4746 - Archaeological Assessment of Gawton Mine, Devon
• EDV4747 - Field Survey of Gawton Mine
• EDV9132 - Gawton Mine, Devon- Costed and Prioritised Proposals for Capital Works for the Conservation and Management of Gawton Mine Scheduled Monument

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