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EYLESBARROW TIN MINE

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

WHEAL RUTH

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A tin mine which was first expoited in 1814 and is situated within an area which has been worked for tin since the 16th century. Production took place until 1831, reopening in 1835. In 1847 parts of the mine were reorganised. The mine's name was changed to Wheal Ruth in 1851. Work had stopped in 1852 except for Wheal Katherine, which was part of this sett which continued working until 1856.

An archaeological field survey by English Heritage found the majority of the mine remains located on the southwestern slopes of Eylesbarrow. Wheal Katherine was situated at the upper end of the Plym Valley. The surface evidence for underground mining comprises 24 shaftheads and 4 adits. Power for pumping the underground levels was initially provided by a waterwheel (Monument HOB UID 1300630) which drove two flatrod systems powering pumps located in shafts further up the hill to the east. From 1848 motive power was provided by a larger 50ft waterwheel (Monument HOB UID 1300628) supplying power via new flatrods to shafts. Balance Bob pits survive on several of the shafts and others have remains of whim plats. Six dressing floors were also recorded, these were aligned along the Drizzlecombe Valley. A smelting house (Monument HOB UID 1300551) contained both a blast and reverberatory furnace and was operating between 1822 and 1831. A series of ancillary buildings associated with the mine also survive (Monument HOB UID 1300619). Water to power the wheels and other processes was diverted from the River Plym and its upper tributaries via two leats and an exceptionally large storage reservoir contained the water (Monument HOB UID 1300605).

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SX 599681 The Eylesbarrow Tin Mine started in February 1815 in an area where mining had been carried on since the 16th century. By 1822 its blast and reverberatory furnaces were in operation smelting ore from other mines in the vicinity, such as the Bottle Hill Tine Mine (SX 55 NE 6) ,as well as its own. Due to the low price of tin, production appears to have stopped between 1831 and 1835, but with the formation of the Dartmoor Consolidated Tin Mines Company in 1836 a little tin was smelted until 1841.
In 1847 a new company, Dartmoor Consols, completely reorganised the mine, moved the engine wheel house to SX 59306821, dug two new shafts and built a nine-headed stamping mill. No tin seems to have been marketed despite this work and for want of capital the company ceased in 1848. By 1851 the name had been changed to Wheal Ruth, possibly by a new company which had deepened one shaft by 120 feet; but by January 1852 all work had stopped. The mine was sold but part of it, the Wheal Katherine mine, SX 607684, appears to have continued to mine ore until October 1856, with a 24 inch double-acting steam engine and 36 headed stamp. (1)

The reverberatory and blast furnace at SX 592677 worked from 1822 to 1831. A rectangular building, about 70 by 20 feet, the walls of which survive to a height of 5 feet, had a long flue ending at a 3 feet diameter chimney. Mortar stones at one end indicate a stamping mill and a wheel pit and settling pits are situated nearby. (2)

(SX 598681) Eylesbarrow Tin Mine (Disused) (NAT)
(SX 59186764) Blowing House (NAT) (3)
The smelting house is as described by the DOE (IAM). It is in fair condition. (4)

History and description of the site. (5)

Centred SX 596 680. Eylesbarrow Tin Mine has a documented history spanning the period 1814 to 1852 though mining was probably taking place some time prior to this. The majority of the mine remains are located on the SW slopes of Eylesbarrow, but Wheal Katherine at the upper end of the Plym Valley (SX 6072 6828) also once formed part of this extensive sett (Monument HOB UID 1063881). The surface evidence for underground mining comprises 24 shaftheads and 4 adits. Sixteen of the shafts have names surviving in documentation as have three of the adits. Power for pumping the underground levels was provided in the early period by a waterwheel sited at SX 5953 6807 (Monument HOB UID 1300630). This wheel drove two flatrod systems which powered pumps located in shafts further up the hill to the east at SX6006 6829, SX 6024 6834 and SX 5986 6817. From 1848 motive power was provided by a larger 50ft waterwheel at SX 5927 6821 (Monument HOB UID 1300628) supplying power via new flatrods to shafts at SX 6021 6873 and SX 6024 6834. Balance bob pits survive on several of the shafts and others have remains of whim plats. There are six dressing floors at Eylesbarrow (SX 5944 6796; SX 5938 6784; SX 5934 6776; SX 5928 6770; SX 5917 6764; SX 5915 6748, (see child records) where ore was stamped and dressed, aligned along the Drizzlecombe valley and a smelting house at SX 5917 6764 (Monument HOB UID 1300551) which contained both a blast and reverberatory furnace and was operating between 1822 and 1831. A series of ancillary buildings associated with the mine survive including a group centred SX 5982 6816 (Monument HOB UID 1300619). Water to power the wheels and other processes was diverted from the river Plym and its upper tributaries via two leats and an exceptionally large storage reservoir contained the water (Monument HOB UID 1300605). (6)

For documentary references and full description see EH 1999. (7)
Described by Cook et al 1974(8)
Depicted and described by Robertson 1991(9)

SX 59716813. Eylesbarrow Tin Mine. Scheduled. (10)

As described by authority 6. (11)

Documented. (12)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Devonshire Association reports and transactions

(R M L Cook) 106, 1974 Page(s)161-177

( 2) General reference

DOE (IAM) Record Form July 1977

( 3) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1954

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 NJA 14-DEC-1978

(5) Eric Hemery 1983 High Dartmoor : land and people

Page(s)215

(6) Field Investigators Comments

Newman P 30-SEP-1999 EH Field Investigation

(7) Phil Newman 1999 Eylesbarrow Tin Mine, Dartmoor Devon: an archaeological survey

(8) Devonshire Association reports and transactions

106 (1974) Page(s)161-214

(9) J G Robertson 1992 The archaeology of the Upper Plym Valley

(10) Scheduled Monument Notification

08-SEP-2003

(11) Field Investigators Comments

Newman, P 01-AUG-2006 EH Cramber Tor Training Area Archaeological Field Investigation

(12) English Heritage Monuments Protection Programme Industrial Monuments Assessment, Step 3 Reports

Cranstone D. and Hedley I. June 1995, The Tin Industry Step 3 Site Assessments: Devon 6B and 6C

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