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Summary

Adit shown on 19th century maps to the south of Belford Mill. Several other adits and other features have been found in this area

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Earthwork remains of building platforms, a series of adits and remains of trenches on east side of Boro Wood

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77SE/178

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ADIT (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD)

Full description

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

'Adit' shown on 19th century map to the south of Belford Mill.

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

'Adit' shown on early 20th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1938, 108SE. Revision of 1904 with additions in 1938. Provisional Edition, 108SE (Cartographic). SDV336777.

'Adit' marked on early 20th century map. Probably related to Druid Copper Mine lying directly to the west.

Berry, N. + Simmonds, T., 1996, An Archaeological Survey of Boro Wood (SX7571), Erme Wood (SX6357), Wistmans Wood (SX6177) and Newpark Waste (SX5961), BW06, 08, 10, 13, 15-16 (Report - Survey). SDV360518.

(BW06) SX 75367149 Adit. Adit shown on the Ordnance Survey map, cut into bank adjacent to road at bottom of hillside. Cutting measures 2m at roadside narrowing to 1.5m at tunnel entrance. 2m high. Entrance blocked with garden rubbish. Associated shaft 10m uphill and directly aligned (see BW05: MDV133128).
(BW08) SX 75337157 Adit. Adit cut into bank alongside road 12m north of main building of Belford Mill, opposite stone wall. Approximately 2m wide, 2.5m high at entrance running to 1.5m diameter some 3.5m from road. Partially blocked by rubble and garden rubbish.
(BW10) SX 75317158 Adit with spoil heaps. Linear cutting 30m west-north-west of Belford Mill, on moderately wooded lower slopes. Aligned east-west, extending for approximately 15m, with upcast spoil heaps running parallel on north and south edges of cur; also an additional platform formed by spoil deposition at the eastern end. Maximum width 2.5m between north and south spoil heaps, minimum 1.5m at the base of the cutting. Maximum depth 2m. Overall condition good, feature well- defined and unthreatened. No opening visible in the western end, suggesting that the adit was successfully back-filled, or as is more likely, this feature represents an abandoned attempt.
(BW13) SX 75267166 Adit and mine workings. Adit and workings running north-west into east facing slope of Boro Hill. Cutting to entrance of adit is 20m long, with banks of spoil thrown up on either side. Width varies from 2 - 4m, narrowing to 1 - 1.2m at entrance to mine. Depth of channel variable from 1 - 3m (to top of spoil on either side). Bottom partly filled with debris, rotting vegetation and tumbled spoil, and water running from tunnel entrance. Large area of spoil, run-off channels and possible associated surface workings to south-east.
(BW15) SX 75227168 Adit with terrace and spoil heap. Terrace / platform dug into east-facing slope immediately adjacent to footpath. Extends approximately 10m north-south, with a maximum depth of 2m. The northern limit of the terrace is defined by an apparently unfinished adit and accompanying spoil heaps. The adit extends north-west into the slope for approximately 4m, with an average width of 1m and average depth of 1.5m. One the northern edge of the adit adjacent to the terrace is a spoil heap roughly 2m by 1.5m by 1m.
(BW16) SX 75227169 Adit with spoil heaps. Adit extending 15m north-west into the slope from its eastern limit adjacent to the footpath. Approximately 1m wide, 1.5m deep, and partially disturbed on its northern edge. Here are two spoil heaps 6m by 1.5m by 1m and 5m by 1.5m by 1m respectively, both parallel to the northern edge of the adit. Waterlogged at the time of survey. Immediately adjacent, to the east of adit is associated well-preserved platform formed presumably from upcast spoil. Flat-topped, measuring 3m by 2m, and with a maximum height of 4m. Spoil heaps slightly cut at its west end by the eastern edge of the footpath. Well-preserved and free of vegetation.

Newman, P., 2002, Boro Wood, Ashburton, Devon, 5-6, Figure 7 (Report - Survey). SDV351138.

Four adits shown to the north and south of Belford Mill. Only Adit (a) is shown on historic mapping.
Adit (a) 20 metres south of Belford Mill opens onto the road. It is apparently clear for several metres and has an open air shaft 10 metres back from the opening.
Adit (b) 200 metres to the north-west of Belford Mill beside the lower track is an open adit which is clear but currently water-filled.
Adit (c) circa 150 metres to the north-west of Belford Mill and circa 75 metres to the south-east of Adit (b) is a blocked adit.
Adit (d) is a blocked adit immediately to the north of Belford Mill.
It is not known which mine these adits were associated with (Whiddon or Druid Mine) or if they represent independent exploration.
Several other features are shown and described including trenches, two earthwork building platforms and remains of the Bedford Mill leat.

Dartmoor National Park Authority, 2006-2012, Woodland Management Survey data (Cartographic). SDV364209.

Depicted on the GIS Layer based on the 1996 woodland survey.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

'Adit' shown on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6139 - Archaeological Survey of Boro Wood, Ashburton (Ref: AI/7/2002)
• EDV7444 - Survey of Newpark Waste and Boro, Erme and Wistmans Woods

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