A collection of walks, discoveries, insights and pictures of exploring Dartmoor National Park
December 16, 2024
Aller Brook and Hangman’s Pit Tinworkings
To the north of the Hexworthy to Holne road is an area of streamworks, extending approximately 3 hectares which flanks the west and east arms of the Aller Brook, whose course runs down to the Double Dart river. The tin streamworks are very overgrown, marshy and hardly visible.
The west arm of the brook terminates with three major openworks ‘arms’, which abut the road. The western arm of the openworks is linear and extends to SX67221 71649. The two other parts of the openworks form a large L-shaped pit, which has a rather macabre story associated with it and is annotated on OS maps as ‘Hangman’s Pit’. Of interest, at the top of the works is a small, two-roomed rectangular building which has been cut into a spoil heap.
As the brook descends northwards, from the Hangman’s Pit area it disappears underground before being crossed by Holne Moor Leat whose waters still flow. The brook then it re-appears briefly before disappearing underground again in many places with many of the streamworks water channels also being no longer visible. At a point where the two arms of the Aller Brook join, there is a speculated Tinner’s Mill, which may date to the 15th century. Just below the mill is a clapper bridge, for which there is a documentary reference that it dates from at least the 18th century.
Bibliography
Simon Probert and Dr Phil Newman (1997), Holne Moor, Dartmoor, Devonshire. A Landscape Survey by the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, S. Probert (Report – Survey). SDV173671.
John Robins (1982) – Follow the Leat (page 33)
Dr Tom Greeves (2013) Tinners Building by Aller Brook (Worksheet). SDV356392.
Dr Tom Greeves and Elisabeth Stanbrook (April 2013) – Combestone Farm, Holne, Devon. A History (page 29)
Sketch map showing the area and points of interest covered in this postTop of the Aller Brook (west arm) streamworks. The Hexworthy – Holne road is top right and the Holne Moor Leat (aka Hamlyn’s Leat) is shown mid pictureView of Aller Brook valley with the line of Holne Moor Leat snaking off into the distanceHangman’s Pit and top of the Aller Brook tin openworksHangman’s Pit. This tinners gully was given its macabre name in 1826 after a Samuel Hannaford of Roundhill (near Two Bridges) took his own life when returning from Brent Cattle Market after being cheated regarding the sale of a horse. Whilst intoxicated he had bought a ‘cauch pawny’ (worthless pony) off a Gypsy horse dealer and had also spent all the money that was meant to see the family through the coming winter. He simply could not face the consequences and took his own life. There are a couple of variation to the story, one being a gang of tinners found his body hanging from a tree in the gully and another where a George Sherwill passed by but did not cut the man down, despite him still being alive. Top of Hangman’s Pit, looking north to Yar Tor, Corndon Tor and Sharp Tor across the Double DartEast end of the large L-shaped pit at ‘Hangman’s Pit’.This small, two-roomed rectangular building, cut into the spoil heaps is located at SX67295 71497The building measures 2.7 metres wide and lies above a scarp of Aller BrookRoom one is the slightly smaller of the two rooms and is around 2m longRoom two is the slightly smaller of the two rooms and is around 2.6m longAller Brook between Hangman’s Pit and Holne Moor LeatHolne Moor or Hamlyn’s Leat crossing Aller Brook (west arm). The leat covers a distance of approximately 6.5 kilometres and was cut in the early 19th century to provide water for the Buckfastleigh Textile Mills. the leat (according to John Robins – ‘Follow the Leat’ – page 33) was formerly used to augment the water supply to the Buckfast Plating Company. The leat now feeds Holne Town Gutter. The leat take-off point is from the O Brook, just north of Horse FordAller Brook (west arm) above Holne Moor LeatAller Brook valley (west arm) below Holne Moor Leat. The streamworking remains here are now largely overgrown and marshy and water channels are no longer visible. In 1579 a William Wreford of Ashburton and his son John held 1/20 of Allerbrook tinwork. In the early 17th century a Richard Stuckey held 1/12 of Ester Allerbrook. (ref Dr. Tom Greeves). Might Willam Wreyford then Richard Stuckey have worked the Tinners’ Mill found near the junction of the two arms of Aller Brook?The ruins of a small rectangular tinners’ building (probable mill) against the left bank of the Aller Brook (west). The tinners’ building has been recorded as approximately 3.0 metres 2.0 metres internally, albeit some interpretation is needed. There is (probable) walling on three sides to height of 0.8 metres and 0.5 metres thick. The tinners’ building (at SX67513 71821) has no obvious sign of a leat or wheelpit. There is just a slight ‘hint’ of an inlet channel from the brook, however. It is considered to have been a tinners’ mill Below the tinners’ building, is a large rectangular pit and a clapper bridge.Members of the Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group (DTRG) exploring the Rectangular Pit to establish if there was any walling on its sides. Some walling was found, on the uphill side which indicated it was man-madeThe Rectangular Pit. Suggestions considered is that this was either a wheel pit or more probably a settling pit (Buddle). There did appear to be some walling but given the construction of the wall and the size of the pit it is unlikely this was a wheelpitA documentary reference from August 1790 to ‘puting (sic) up a bridge att Comstone’ at a cost of 2 shillings may relate to this clapper bridge just below the Tinners’ Mill (Ref: Greeves and Stanbrook)
