ACTIVITIES
Archaeology Projects (external)
See also the main Combe Martin Page or the Combe Martin Siver Mines website
In an earlier edition of this journal, we wrote about the research carried out in 2004 to try to determine the presence of a fulling mill (more usually known as a tucking mill in Devon), at the Mine Tenement site in Combe Martin. Field names of Rack Park (where fulled woven broadcloth was hung and stretched on frames and tenterhooks to dry) were noted above the Mine Tenement site, suggesting the presence of a fulling mill on these warm south-facing slopes.
The leat was traced from the top of Chapel Lane, along Watery Lane, through
a deep cutting made through the Devonian shillet at Corner Lane (Plate
1) and across the fields to Mine Tenement; the water supply being constant
throughout the year and in plentiful supply. There was evidence from the
North Devon Journal of a millpond at Mine Tenement in 1840, when a report
noted the drowning of the blacksmith’s son. In 1813 a sale notice
advertised a ‘nearly new iron waterwheel along with all machinery
and 100 fathoms of flat rods’ suggesting a new wheel had been purchased
for an existing mill of some description, to pump water from the mines.
The quick sale of this wheel, not long after purchase, suggested that
the venture had quickly failed. It is worthy of note that in the 1840’s
a new mining venture used steam power to raise water from the mines. A
lesson from the earlier venture may have been learned.
However, there was no documentary evidence to be found.
Records mentioned the lower (Loverings Garage) gristmill and the upper
(Pack of Cards) gristmill, both post Domesday. There is also a mention
of a water-driven grindstone being out of action through a lack of water,
and the possibility of a malt mill somewhere in Combe Martin village.
Just one line of evidence for a fulling mill came to light in 2005. The
entry
simply said ‘1724, Poyntz to Geo. Ley, all that leat, the fulling
mill, cottage and garden’. There was an area in Combe Martin called
Poyntz Dean, this being very close to the source of water for the Mine
Tenement leat.
During 2004/5 NDAS, through Jim Knights, carried out a resistivity survey on the site of the possible mill complex and millpond. The results were encouraging, and during 2005 Anne Todd from Tiverton Archaeology Group (TAG), led a small team of excavators to follow up the geophysical survey. Several 2x2m test pits were excavated but little was discovered other than a leaking copper water pipe that had been misinterpreted on the resistivity survey.
In late 2005 at the end of the excavating season, the remains of a robbed out wall were noted on the surface of a track to a neighbouring property. This was investigated and followed by Roger Burton during the winter of 2005/6. The course of the wall made little sense in relation to the topography of the site and it had not shown up on the resistivity survey. It was agreed that further investigation should take place in 2006.
In April 2006 the investigation of the robbed out wall led to far more questions than answers, and to clarify matters, a 2x1m test pit was excavated at right angles to the feature. This led to the discovery of a second substantial wall running parallel to and 20cm from the first, but at a greater depth. This was then followed in a north/south direction and it soon became clear that this wall, with large built-in buttresses had been part of a substantial building of some description. What was even more surprising was the realisation that to the immediate east of this wall and butting up against it, were the residual sediments of the millpond amounting to over 30 individual contexts (See Plate 2).
The overburden (over 2m deep, making Health and Safety issues a priority)
consisted of 19th century waste from the various attempts to reopen the
mines during that period and it was agreed that, instead of using a mechanical
digger to remove it, this should be excavated by hand to ensure retrieval
of artefacts. Whilst it was a daunting task, the effort quickly paid dividends
by turning up two rifleman’s gold plated tunic buttons from the
American Civil War, a wide and extensive range of North Devon Pottery
sherds and clay pipes (unusually with the full stems attached to the bowls),
along with the byproducts of lead smelting and silver refining including
litharge, lead slag, and blacksmith’s wastes. The whole assemblage
had already offered considerable insight into the life of the 19th century
miner and blacksmith in Combe Martin and the decision to hand excavate
was justified.
The complex stratigraphy posed its own challenge to the excavators in
ensuring that the details were accurately drawn and recorded. What had
started as a 2x2m test pit was quickly becoming a large open area excavation.
By mid summer it was agreed that we should ‘take stock’ and
discussions with the owners of the site led to the agreement that, because
of the historical and archaeological importance of the discoveries to
the village of Combe Martin, the excavation should proceed as an open
area excavation over a number of seasons, with the foundations and millpond
preserved as a historical feature.
What has been exciting is that the primary fills of the millpond, which was initially clay lined, have revealed a few sherds of late Saxon pottery, and many sherds of North Devon medieval wares. At the close of this season’s work we are no nearer to understanding why there should be internal buttresses to a millpond wall. Are they the buttresses to a substantial mill building that abutted the millpond?
What is now clear is that at some date prior to the 19th century, a very large working platform was cut into the hillside and the complex of buildings and millpond were constructed. All this occurred before recorded mining at the site; the waste from this activity subsequently covered almost completely that which had gone before.
Finally, I must pay tribute to those who have assisted
at the site during 2006. As amateurs interested in archaeology their enthusiasm
and hard work have been exceptional and it has been a very happy community
team who have learned so much as the excavation has progressed. They are:
Mary (Flowa) Houldsworth, Clive Comer, Michelle Thomas, Roger Burton and
our dumper driver Mitch Warburton, with occasional assistance from Jim
Knights, Richard Boudier, and Judy and Dave Parker for the research and
flotation work.Well done to you all!
Needless to say, we hope to return to the site in the spring of 2007.
You are welcome to join us in this exciting Community Archaeology Project.
Copyright © 2007 North Devon Archaeological Society