Bradford Tin Mill

Bradford Tin Mill is mentioned by Tom Greeves in his paper ‘The Tinworking Landscape of Dartmoor in a European Context’ (2016) through documentary evidence and the presence of a Mould Stone.

Greeves (1981) records a ‘Mill at Bradford Pool’ comprising a ‘Blowing Mill and Stamping Mill’. He further adds that there are ‘documentary references given for 1687, 1692, 1696-7 and field evidence includes a Mould Stone’.

The pictures in this post were taken during a Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group (DTRG) field trip where access was granted by the owner of Higher Shilstone (with thanks) as the features covered here are on private land.

Bibliography

The Tinworking Landscape of Dartmoor in a European Context – (2016) – Paper presented by Dr Tom Greeves – Lodges and Mills: The Field Archaeology of Tin Accommodation, Stamping and Smelting on Dartmoor at the conference (6th – 11th May 2016) at Tavistock – NOTE: Bradford Tin Mill is listed as Mill number 22 in the paper
C.E.Hicks – (1982) – Meeting Proceedings of the 120th Annual Meeting – Transactions of the Devonshire Association. 114. A5 Hardback.
Stephen Holley DTRG Chairman – (June 2026) – Pers. Conv.

0. Map — 19th century annotated map showing the locations of the key features covered in this post. Higher Shilstone Farm is a 20th century construction

1. Mould Stone a — Mould Stone built into the Garden Wall of Higher Shilstone

1. Mould Stone b — Hicks (1982) records this as a “Cornish type mould of c.1690 built into wall near Bradford Pool”. Note the Gate Post above the Mould Stone with a piece of iron furniture

1. Mould Stone c — Mould Stone at Higher Shilstone. Using the approx. equivalent cuboid measurements (taking into account the mould has trapezium cross section) the weight of a tin ingot can be calculated, viz; 0.475m (length) x 0.3m (width) x 0.1 m (depth) with 7265 kg/m3 tin density makes the tin ingot being circa 102kg

2. Granite Rollers — Pair of upright granite rollers in Higher Shilstone garden

3. Slotted Gatepost — Slotted Gatepost on opposite of wall to the Mould Stone

4. Bradford Pool — Bradford Pool – said to be 10m deep. Flooded alluvial tin streamworks. The streamworks were fed by a (19 km) 12 mile long leat (the longest on Dartmoor) which was dug in the 16th century whose head weir is at Gallaven Brook to the south west of Rippator / Rival Tor

5. Structure — Walled structure at SX69928 91027. The structure appears to be earth filled and is too big to have been a Tin Mill. Added to this there is a minimal drop (0-1m) between the two reservoirs to the north

6. Small Reservoir — The smaller of two Reservoirs at **SX69874 91137**, which might well have fed water to Bradford Tin Mill

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