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Summary

Lockridge Silver and Lead Mine, first opened in late 13th century, worked intermittently until 19th century. Closed due to flooding in 1861. Earthworks and a structure are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 and visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019 and were transcribed as part of the Tamar Valley NMP and Tamar/Lidar AI&M projects.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX46NW/511

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MINE (XIII to XIX - 1290 AD to 1861 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1809, Untitled Source (Cartographic). SDV40346.

Lysons, D. + Lysons, S., 1822, Magna Britannica (Monograph). SDV323771.

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

The earthworks correspond with land parcels 1227 and 1235 which are recorded as ‘Mine Park’ and as ‘Lockeridge Mine’, respectively.

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

Map object partly based on this Source.

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

Earthworks labelled as ‘Lockeridge Mine (Silver & Lead, disused)’ are shown in this location.

Ordnance Survey, 1907, 111SW (Cartographic). SDV240062.

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

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

Syme Saunders, E. G., 1936, Plymouth Silver, 299-302 (Article in Serial). SDV340282.

An ordinance of 1298 shows that silver mines at Bere Alston were mined at the King's expense.

Ramsden, J. V., 1952, Notes on the Mines of Devonshire, 97 (Article in Serial). SDV60737.

Lockeridge, also Gold Street. Lead. Other details: Figure 1, L13.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 332 (Monograph). SDV17562.

Silver mines at Bere Alston were worked from circa1290 intermittently down to the 19th century.

Ordnance Survey, 1954, SX46NW (Cartographic). SDV340283.

'Lockridge Mine (Silver & Lead, Disused)' shown.

Booker, F., 1967, Industrial Archaeology of the Tamar Valley, 54-60, 67 (Monograph). SDV240774.

Devon County Council, 1970, Devon County Council, Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act 1969, Register of Disused Tips, Vol. 1 (Report - Survey). SDV356723.

Lockridge Mine.

Minerals Worked: Silver and Lead.

Waste material tipped.

Two location maps included, 1:10500 and 1:2500

Hamilton Jenkin, Dr. A. K., 1974, Mines of Devon. Volume 1: The Southern Area, 36-8 (Monograph). SDV336694.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1977, SX46NW11 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV343881.

Lockridge Mine, silver and lead. Disused.
The silver mines at Bere Alston were worked from about 1290 intermittently down to late 19th century. An ordnance of 1298 shows that they were mined at the King's expense.

Mayer, P., 1990, Calstock and Bere Alston Silver/Lead Mines in the 14th Century, 79-95 (Article in Serial). SDV343017.

Cranstone, D., 1991, The Lead Industry, Site 1J (Report - non-specific). SDV90317.

Nineteenth century mine. Chimney with false window survives, otherwise only damaged spoil tips and slight building ruins survive.

Chimney is worth listing; rest of site retains no features of importance.

Claughton, P., 1994, Silver-Lead - A Restricted Resource: Technological Choice in Devon Mines, 54-59 (Article in Serial). SDV337126.

The mines in the Bere Ferrers area were first opened in the late 13th century. Old workings at Lockridge Hill were reopened and leased to a John Falron in the mid 15th century. This proved to be a disastrous investment as he appears to have spent £205 in drainage costs without producing one ounce of silver.

Nance, R. W. + Nance, R. D., 1996, A Survey of Engine Houses on the Mines of South Devon, 109-22 (Article in Serial). SDV241746.

A decorative stack and some ruinous buildings identify Lockridge Mine in a copse beside the railway west of Bere Alston, on the road to Lockridge Farm. Decorations include a stonework rib halfway between the brickwork and ground level, three rows of decorative bricks in the stonework below the corbelling, and three arched panels inset into the brickwork, in a similar fashion to the four panels inset into the separate stack at Druid Mine.

Claughton, P. F., 1996, The Lumburn Leat - evidence for new pumping technology at Bere Ferrers in the 15th Century, 35-40 (Article in Serial). SDV229681.

Field evidence suggests the power for the drainage of the mine in the 15th century came from the 16 kilometres Lumburn leat from the vicinity of Millhill west of Tavistock and following the steep west bank of the Rivers Lumburn and Tavy, before crossing the saddle in the ridge near High Gawton to follow the line of the Tamar to the mines.

Nance, R. W. + Nance, R. D., 1996, Wheal Druid and the Engine Houses of Dartmoor, 4-6 (Article in Serial). SDV340907.

Dyer, M. J. + Manning, P. T., 1998, Objective 5B: Lower Tamar Valley Recreation and Land Management Iinitiative: Cultural Heritage Appraisal, 49 (Report - non-specific). SDV319814.

Buck, C., 1998, Preliminary Assessment of Industrial Sites of Archaeological Importance in the Tamar Valley, 54 (Report - Assessment). SDV336795.

Site visit 11th March 1998. This mine marks the centre of the eastern north-south silver/lead lode which starts near South Tamar Consols. Documentary evidence confirms that the area was mined for silver (financed and operated by the crown) from circa 1290. The mine was certainly worked in the early 19th century. In 1845 it was amalgamated with Whitsam and Furzehill as East Tamar consols. Flooding of the South Tamar Mine in 1856 (working the southern end of the lode) hastened the end of this mine, as the workings were connected. Work concentrated at Lockridge and Furzehill, but by 1861 the 50 inch engine was unable to cope with the rising water. Remains include 2 metres high remnants of the walls of the engine house, a fully extant chimney with windows, and a flue cut upslope from the engine to the chimney, a small section of which has collapsed.

Environment Agency, 2000-2019, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Environment Agency LAST RETURN 19-APR-2019 (Cartographic). SDV363954.

Earthworks of sub-circular, sub-oval and irregularly shaped pits, cuttings and banks are visible.

Henry, A., 2001, Silver and Salvation: A Late Fifteenth Century Confessors Itinerary Throughout the Parish of Bere Ferrers, Devon, 49-50 (Article in Serial). SDV216264.

Probably the silver mine associated with the 15th century tenement of 'Lockys' at Lockridge or Goldstreet. In 1480-81 a rRchard Petersfeld supervised waterwheel powered pumps night and day for six months.

Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 2001-2002, Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Transcriptions and Database Records, RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2339 10-DEC-1946 (Interpretation). SDV346287.

Post-medieval earthworks and a structure associated with Lockeridge Silver and Lead Mine are visible on aerial photographs of 1946. Map object partly based on this source.

Claughton, P. F., 2003, Silver Mining in England and Wales, 1066-1500 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV81879.

National Monuments Record, 2009, 437815 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV343884.

Remains of 19th century lead and silver mine east of Lockridge Farm, worked intermittently from the 1290s to the late 19th century. Between 1840 and 1861, 2580 tons of lead, 19,530 ounces of silver, and 1,400 tons of fluorspar were extracted from the mine. Other details: SX46NW11: last updated 2007.

Ordnance Survey, 2009, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV341569.

'Lockridge Mine (disused)' shown

Rippon, S. + Claughton, P. + Smart, C., 2009, Mining in a Medieval Landscape: The Royal Silver Mines of the Tamar Valley, 9-10, 61-2, 67-9, 80, 111-2, 114, 118 (Monograph). SDV344097.

The earthwork remains of probable medieval mineworkings preserved in woodland on Lockridge Hill may be related to shafts refered to in 14th and 15th century documents. These refer to the 'Old Mine' at the north end of the lode, and 'Lockryge Hill' where there were 'two shafts together on the highest part'. In the later part of the 15th century water powered pumps were introduced to aid drainage of the mines around Lockridge Hill. Other details: Figures 1.3, 3.5, 3.7, 4.4, 5.3.

Hegarty, C., Houghton, E., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2020-2021, Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 1 (AI&M project) (Interpretation). SDV363945.

Earthworks of sub-circular, sub-oval and irregularly shaped pits, cuttings and banks, between 7-95 metres long, are visible on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2019. The visible earthworks occupy an area of circa 1.6 hectares of north-west facing slope.
The earthworks correspond with land parcels 1227 and 1235 on the mid-19th century Parish Tithe Map which are recorded as ‘Mine Park’ and as ‘Lockeridge Mine’, respectively, on the accompanying Tithe Apportionment. The pits and banks also correspond with several earthworks depicted and labelled as ‘Quarry’ and ‘Lockeridge Mine (Silver & Lead, disused)’ on both the late-19th century and early-20th century First and Second Edition Ordnance Survey maps.
The earthworks are interpreted variously as the extractive pits, quarries, shafts and spoil heaps associated with this mine, that had passed out of use by the late-19th century.
The transcribed earthworks correspond with several child records of this mine, including two shafts (MDV76240 & MDV76239) and a quarry (MDV53111). These child records have not been individually amended and the attribute data for the transcriptions of these features have been appended to this parent record.
The visible earthworks partly correspond with features recorded from aerial photographs taken in 1946 as part of the Tamar Valley NMP project. These largely complement, but have also been enhanced by, transcriptions derived from this survey which are based on lidar data. Lidar data has provided additional clarity and detail as well as improved spatial accuracy of these field boundaries, but which was unavailable to the previous survey.
The area of the earthworks is largely obscured by tree cover and they are not clearly visible on other available aerial imagery.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV17562	Monograph: Hoskins, W. G.. 1954. A New Survey of England: Devon. A New Survey of England: Devon. A5 Hardback. 332.
SDV215700	Monograph: H. M. Stationary Office. 1929. Abandoned Mines. Abandoned Mines. Unknown.
SDV216264	Article in Serial: Henry, A.. 2001. Silver and Salvation: A Late Fifteenth Century Confessors Itinerary Throughout the Parish of Bere Ferrers, Devon. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 133. Photocopy + Digital. 49-50.
SDV229681	Article in Serial: Claughton, P. F.. 1996. The Lumburn Leat - evidence for new pumping technology at Bere Ferrers in the 15th Century. Mining History: Bulletin PDMHS. The Archaeology of Mining and Metallurgy in. 13, Number 2. A4 Paperback. 35-40.
SDV240062	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1907. 111SW. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 6 inch Map. Map (Paper).
SDV240774	Monograph: Booker, F.. 1967. Industrial Archaeology of the Tamar Valley. Industrial Archaeology of the Tamar Valley. A5 Hardback. 54-60, 67.
SDV241746	Article in Serial: Nance, R. W. + Nance, R. D.. 1996. A Survey of Engine Houses on the Mines of South Devon. Mining History: Bulletin PDMHS. The Archaeology of Mining and Metallurgy in South-West Britain. 13, Number 2. A4 Paperback. 109-22.
SDV319814	Report - non-specific: Dyer, M. J. + Manning, P. T.. 1998. Objective 5B: Lower Tamar Valley Recreation and Land Management Iinitiative: Cultural Heritage Appraisal. Exeter Archaeology Report. 98.60. A4 Stapled + Digital. 49.
SDV323594	Monograph: Collins, J. H.. 1912. Observations on the West of England Mining Region. Observations on the West of England Mining Region. Unknown.
SDV323771	Monograph: Lysons, D. + Lysons, S.. 1822. Magna Britannica. Magna Britannica: A Concise Topographical Account of The Several Counties o. 6: Devonshire. Unknown.
SDV325644	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336694	Monograph: Hamilton Jenkin, Dr. A. K.. 1974. Mines of Devon. Volume 1: The Southern Area. Mines of Devon. Volume 1: The Southern Area. One. Hardback Volume. 36-8.
SDV336795	Report - Assessment: Buck, C.. 1998. Preliminary Assessment of Industrial Sites of Archaeological Importance in the Tamar Valley. Cornwall Archaeological Unit Report. A4 Stapled + Digital. 54.
	Linked documents:1
SDV337126	Article in Serial: Claughton, P.. 1994. Silver-Lead - A Restricted Resource: Technological Choice in Devon Mines. Mining History: Bulletin PDMHS. 12, Number 3. Photocopy + Digital. 54-59.
SDV340282	Article in Serial: Syme Saunders, E. G.. 1936. Plymouth Silver. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 68. A5 Hardback. 299-302.
SDV340283	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1954. SX46NW. Ordnance Survey 6 inch map. Map (Paper).
SDV340907	Article in Serial: Nance, R. W. + Nance, R. D.. 1996. Wheal Druid and the Engine Houses of Dartmoor. Dartmoor Tin Working Research Group Newsletter. 10. A4 Stapled. 4-6.
SDV341569	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2009. MasterMap. MasterMap. Digital. [Mapped feature: #94880 ]
SDV343017	Article in Serial: Mayer, P.. 1990. Calstock and Bere Alston Silver/Lead Mines in the 14th Century. Cornish Archaeology. 29. Paperback Volume. 79-95.
SDV343881	Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card: Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division. 1977. SX46NW11. OSAD Card. Card Index + Digital.
SDV343884	National Monuments Record Database: National Monuments Record. 2009. 437815. National Monuments Record Index. Website.
SDV344097	Monograph: Rippon, S. + Claughton, P. + Smart, C.. 2009. Mining in a Medieval Landscape: The Royal Silver Mines of the Tamar Valley. Mining in a Medieval Landscape: The Royal Silver Mines of the Tamar Valley. Paperback Volume. 9-10, 61-2, 67-9, 80, 111-2, 114, 118.
SDV346287	Interpretation: Cornwall Archaeological Unit. 2001-2002. Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Transcriptions and Database Records. National Mapping Programme. Map (Digital). RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2339 10-DEC-1946.
SDV356723	Report - Survey: Devon County Council. 1970. Devon County Council, Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act 1969, Register of Disused Tips, Vol. 1. Devon County Council. Mixed Archive Material.
SDV359954	Cartographic: South West Heritage Trust. 1838-1848. Digitised Tithe Maps and Transcribed Apportionments. Tithe Map and Apportionment. Digital.
SDV363945	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Houghton, E., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2020-2021. Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 1 (AI&M project). Historic England Research Report. Digital.
SDV363954	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2000-2019. LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: Tamar Aerial Survey project area. Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR Environment Agency LAST RETURN 19-APR-2019.
SDV40346	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1809. Ordnance Survey 1 inch map. Map (Paper).
SDV60737	Article in Serial: Ramsden, J. V.. 1952. Notes on the Mines of Devonshire. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 84. A5 Hardback. 97.
SDV81879	Post-Graduate Thesis: Claughton, P. F.. 2003. Silver Mining in England and Wales, 1066-1500. University of Exeter Thesis. A4 Comb Bound + Digital.
SDV90317	Report - non-specific: Cranstone, D.. 1991. The Lead Industry. English Heritage Monuments Protection Programme Step 3 Site Assessments. A4 Unbound. Site 1J.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6911 - Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme
• EDV8345 - Tamar/Lidar; A Single Source Approach to Landscape Survey and Socially Distanced Community Archaeology Area 1 (AI&M) (Ref: ACD2380)

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