March 23, 2020

WHITEWORKS TIN MINE

Steve Grigg and Frank Collinson

Whiteworks (19th Century) Tin Mine – a cursory hour stroll around the workings. Plan to go back later, for more exploring, especially to photograph and identify the buildings (e.g Blacksmiths shop, counting house). The mine was one of the largest on Dartmoor and there were two wheels here (recorded by William Crossing), the pits from which are recorded in this post. The map is based on John Robins book (follow the leat) and side-by-side (1949-1969).

WW Map — This plan is not to scale and doesn’t show the ruined buildings associated with the mine

WW1 — Whim at SX61165 70926

WW2 — One of dozens of shafts around the mine. This one at SX61237 70920

WW3 — Taken from above a small cutting at head of tramway (which is visible mainly from beyond the wall). Was this a loading bay for the tramway? SX61155 70880

WW4 — At the wall (from previous picture) showing tramway ahead SX61185 70890

WW5 — Location of the stamps wheel. SX61297 70828. Stamp were used for crushing tin ore.

WW6 — Location of the stamps wheel. SX61297 70828. Confirmed by Dartmoor HER

WW7 — Stamps wheel tail race, where water was fed to the second wheelpit further down the hill.

WW8 — Imagine the wheel here ? Take a look at the Robert Burnard picture from 1st August 1889 from the Dartmoor Archive, which is believed to be the earliest known picture of tine mining on Dartmoor. https://dartmoortrust.org/archive/record/3199

WW9 — Walled shaft #1 for stock protection. SX61344 70835

WW10 — Walled shaft #2 for stock protection. SX61304 70769

WW11 — A raised platform whim at SX61334 70790

WW12 — Panorama picture of the right angle bend in leat between Walled Shaft #2 and raised platform whim (you can see this on the plan). SX61315 70778

WW13 — Holed stone. Most likely a repurposed stone. SX61317 70754

WW14 — Slotted stone. Most likely a repurposed stone. SX61330 70759

WW15 — Sheep creep. SX61435 70785

WW16 — Another holed stone. Most likely a repurposed stone. SX61453 70792

WW17 — Yet another holed stone. Most likely a repurposed stone. SX61463 70798

WW18 — And the final holed stone in this exciting series. Most likely a repurposed stone. SX61473 70792

WW19 — Gate as shown in my drawing. SX61488 70798

WW20 — The second wheel pit. Confirmed by Dartmoor HER. SX61529 70774. Next to embankment. Partially stone lined

WW21 — Top of embankment, wheel pit on right.

WW22 — Possible buddle ? SX61298 70595

WW23 — This stone looked like it had been “worked”. SX61498 70782

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2 Comments

Paul Gordon August 1, 2021

Thank you .walked there yesterday.
Really like that it has no intrusion of signing when you are there,however your pictures and explanations help to imagine how it was.
the photograph of the wheel is fantastic.

Reply
- SteveGrigg1961 August 1, 2021 — Post author
  
  Many thanks Paul. Glad the post helped.
  
  Reply

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