A collection of walks, discoveries, insights and pictures of exploring Dartmoor National Park
April 17, 2025
Upper Tavy Tinners’ Workings and Huts
One of Dartmoor’s most remote river heads is the Tavy, which is located around 1km south of Cut Hill and just over 1km south east of Fur Tor. To have reached this area, a walker would have had to make a journey of between 2-3 hours. In spite of this wild, remote and very bleak part of the moor, it is still unsurprising that the Tin Streamers from Medieval (or slightly later) times have left their mark with their being approx. 17 hectares of workings in the area with small, isolated bands of low spoil heaps on bends in the river. Coupled with this there are at least four buildings which have been variously referenced as Tinners’ Huts or Shepherd’s Huts in the area and an old iron Tethering Ring hammered into a large boulder.
The area does not escape the clutches of modern man as their is marked evidence of the Peat Restoration Project in the area, with newly constructed fencing, man made peat banks and the signs of numerous tracked vehicles having been in the area.
Bibliography
Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England – (1993-1998) – Dartmoor Royal Forest Project (Report – Survey). SDV346608.
Brian Le Messurier (1979) – Post-Prehistoric Structures of Central North Dartmoor. A Field Survey, 70 (Article in Serial). SDV269283.
Sketch map of the Upper Tavy showing the main features covered in this postTavy Head in May 2020Tavy Head with a waterfall after the previous days heavy rain (15th April 2025)This is the first occasion the author has seen a waterfall at Tavy Head (having previously visited many times at various times of the year). In spite of the rain from the previous day, one wonders if this cascade is directly or indirectly as a result of the Peat Restoration Project.Looking south from Tavy Head. A fenced off area is a very short distance away rather spoiling the outlook and view. One can only hope it is very temporaryFenced off area (for reasons unknown to the author) to the south of Tavy HeadThe lower of two fenced off areas to the south of Tavy HeadThese pools near Tavy Head are the result of the Peat Restoration ProjectSome 600m from Tavy Head is the first of four Tinners’ Huts. This was visited by Brian Le Messurier on 14th May 1976, who recorded : “Internal measurements of hut 2.0 metres by 4.7 metres, the walls made of large blocks. Tin streaming nearby. An association with tin-streaming indicates a pre-1700 date”.Tinners’ Hut (1) as annotated on the sketch map in this post is oriented north to south with an entrance in the west wall near the NW cornerA Dartmoor Letterbox was noted here in May 1976 (mortared into one corner) but was removed in October 1979. There is leaning slab on the south side of the entrance which might represents one of the door jambs (ref:RCHME). Tinners’ Hut (1) is located at SX59367 81371. It is still annotated on modern OS mapsA short distance from Tinners’ Hut (1) is a large boulder with a small iron Tethering Ring hammered into it. It is located in the top left part of he boulder shown in the pictureThe Tethering Ring is located at SX59191 81328The hole within the ring has an unusually small diameter, so the reigns of any tethered horse must have been quite thinFurther downstream there are two further buildings which are annotaed on modern OS maps as Tinners’ Huts (remains of). The picture shows Tinners’ Hut (2) as annotated on the sketch map in this postIn 1976, Brian Le Messurier recorded of Tinners’ Hut (2): “A hut 55 metres north of right bank of Tavy. Internally 1.8 metres by 4.6 metres, with low incomplete walls containing some vertical slabs”. He further stated: “Tin streaming not far away. (Probably pre-1700 in date)”Tinners’Hut (2) has a east to west orientation and is speculated that is might have been a Shepherds’ Hut (Ref: RCHME)Tinners’ Hut (2) is located at SX59046 81366Below Tinners’ Hut (2) to the south-west are the remains of another very crude almost square structure – Tinners’ Hut (3). Tinners’ Hut (3) is located at SX59017 81344The RCHME record this structure as measuring 2.7 metres north to south by 2.2 metres the grassy interior is contained by boulder walls 0.7 metres wide and 0.3 metres high. The authors’ annotated picture shows his interpretation of the layoutOn modern OS Maps, there is a circular feature shown to the west of Tinners’ Huts 2 and 3. At that location (SX 58943 81344) there isn’t anything discernible. However, some 30 metres away is a faint circular feature which is located at SX58917 81363. This doesn’t look like it has anything to do with the Peat Restoration Project. It might be military related or there is a remote possibility that it may be an older antiquity.Typical Peat Restoration Project peat banks. These are at SX59020 81408The fourth and final Tinners’ Hut in the area, lies under the flanks of Red Lake Hill and at the south end of Tavy Hole. It lies around around 50m south of the river at SX58779 80954Brian Le Messurier visited this Tinners’ Hut on 11th October 1975 and described it as a “Scanty low walled ruin, 2.1 metres by 4.3 metres internally”. Lovely view from the hut with Fur Tor being seen on the horizon.Tinners’ Hut (4) is north to south orientated and the RCHME record that at the southeast corner there is a small shelter, also in ruins.
