When researching areas of tinners activities in the Chagford area, the Devon Historic Environment Record (Environment Viewer) indicates that there is evidence of an extensive area of streamworks which runs from Yellands Cross in the north, running southwards up the River Bovey valley the past Jurston and Hurston farmsteads and onto Chagford Common and thence to the North Walla Brook and West Vitifer Tin Mine (aka New Vitifer Consols).
The first documentary evidence of tinworking on the Bovey dates (ref: Passmore-1997) dates from the sixteenth century. Towards the upper reaches of the river at Boveycombehedd, there is evidence of elluvial streamworks (pre-nineteenth century) and alluvial streamworking which occurred earlier, Passmore suggesting the latter probably predates the Medieval settlements of Lakeland and Ridge Lay. Towards the northern end of the section of streamworks, there was possibly once a 18th century Stamping Mill at Yelland. This mill is has been recorded by Dr Tom Greeves through documentary evidence from 1755. Its location is unknown but is likely to have been along the streamworks immediately to the south of Yellands Cross (formerly known as Jurston Cross) and most likely either east of Jurston Bridge towards Langaford Bridge or west of Juston Bridge towards the Higher Corndon / Hurston road. All of this land in private giving limited opportunity to conduct any further research.
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 – Mill number 174
- A.J. Passmore -(1997) – Boveycombehedd, Chagford, Devon: an archaeological investigation of a Diachronic landscape, (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV360382
- Department of Environment – (1987) – Chagford, 76 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV350463
- Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, – (1953/1974) -SX68NE1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV274553.
