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Summary

Previously recorded as a probable capped mine shaft, this is the remains of Taylor's Shaft; one of eight constructed in the early 19th century on the course of the Tavistock Canal Tunnel on Morwelldown. An irregularly shaped mound is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs and on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2007 and 2013.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SHAFT (Constructed, XIX - 1804 AD to 1811 AD (Not applicable))

Full description

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

Irregularly shaped feature shown on 1880s-1890s 25 inch Ordnance Survey map.

Environment Agency, 2000-2019, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) EA: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Environment Agency LAST RETURN 03-FEB-2007 (Cartographic). SDV363954.

An irregularly shaped bank is visible as an earthwork.

Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 2001-2002, Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Transcriptions and Database Records, RAF/CPE/UK/2501/F20/4110-11 (Interpretation). SDV346287.

The transcription of an earthwork mound from earthwork evidence visible on aerial photographs RAF/CPE/UK/2501/F20/4110-11 corresponds to a database record of an earthwork mound to the south of Buctor. The mound probably relates to the mine or ventilation shaft. Map object based on this source.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Map object based on this Source.

Newman, P., 2011, Mining in the Tavy Valley, West Devon. An Assessment of Archaeological Potential, 59 (Report - Assessment). SDV347105.

Probable disused capped shaft shown on Ordnance Survey first edition 25 inch map to in field to south of Wheal Crebor. Tump visible on google earth. Other details: No. 30.

Watts, S., 2011, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV347143.

Note that the feature is over the line of the Tavistock Canal tunnel and could be related to this rather than being a mine shaft.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: Tamar Aerial Survey project area, LIDAR Tellus LAST RETURN 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV363955.

An earthwork bank is visible.

Buck, C., 2015, Buctor Farm, Tavistock (Report - Assessment). SDV359746.

This study was commissioned by the landowner on behalf of Natural England as part of a Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Agreement Scheme and produced by Cornwall Archaeological Unit, Cornwall Council.

Background
This shaft is neither labelled nor shown on any mine plan or map within this report. It is sunk on the tunnel alignment as both an air/ventilation shaft for the workers, and used as a medium through which waste material could be brought to surface rather than taken back to the tunnel mouth – via a horse-whim.

Survey
The shaft opening is not visible at surface, but it is sited within the large mound, surmounted by trees. There are three elongated linear (tramway) tip lines forming the mound – approximately 4m height above downslope ground level, and approximately 1m above upslope ground level. The horse-whim would have been relatively near the shaft – but neither this site nor the shaft is visible (Fig 17).

Significance
Medium

This site area has a medium significance rating, given the lack of any other supporting archaeological site evidence.

Recommendation
Given the trampling of the ground at this site, animals may well use it for shelter or shade. Thought should be given to locating and fencing the shaft site and providing a shaft warning marker.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2016, Backlog Recording of the Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Survey (Personal Comment). SDV359374.

The aerial photograph reference given in the Tamar Valley NMP transcription attributes is incomplete; the date of the photograph is not included.

Waterhouse, R., 2017, The Tavistock Canal. Its History and Archaeology, 363-67, 378, fig 10.72, 10.78, 10.80, 10.89 (Monograph). SDV361789.

Eight shafts were sunk on the line of the tunnel, of which seven were completed (Remfry's was aborted due to hitting an Elvan dyke 16 fathoms from the surface).
Taylor's Shaft is 28 fathoms (51 metres) and was sunk between 1804-1811. It lies on open farmland north of Morwelldown Plantation in a field with a large semi-circular overgrown dump on the north side of its (presumably capped) shaft. Traces of a circular horse engine platform are terraced into the hillside to the south. Described in the 1804 as being close to the farm of Great Buctor (abandoned 1840-1860s), no trace of this farmstead remains.
Earthwork plan of Taylor's Shaft included in publication.

Hegarty, C., 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.

An irregularly shaped bank associated with Taylor’s Shaft, circa 30 metres long by 22 metres wide, is visible as an earthwork on visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2007 and 2013.
The earthwork corresponds with an irregularly shaped feature depicted in this location on the late 19th century First Edition Ordnance Survey map.
The bank has been previously transcribed from aerial photographs during the Tamar Valley NMP project. It has been superseded by transcriptions from this survey because of the improved spatial accuracy of the lidar data, which was not previously available to the Tamar NMP survey, and the monument polygon has been amended accordingly.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6911 - Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme
• EDV7058 - Archaeological Management Plan, Buctor Farm, Tavistock (Ref: 2015R055)
• EDV8013 - Survey of the Tavistock Canal Tunnel on Morwelldown
• 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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