Norsworthy Bridge, Devonport Leat

Information

Distance: 3 miles, walked by Keith Ryan and transcribed by Simon Avery
Grade: Medium
A GPX route of this walk is available: Download GPX
Directions to Car Park
What Three Words diner.nanny.headlines

Map

Map of Route - Crown Copyright - Ordnance Survey Licence number 100047373

Introduction

A short and interesting walk with many historic points of interest.

Starting at the Norsworthy Bridge car part, we climb established tracks taking in many points of interest along the way. These include old tinner’s stones, several artificial caves, a longhouse, a ruined tin mill, the Devonport leat, wheel pits and an abandoned tare and feathers still wedged in the rock.

Norsworthy Bridge

Norsworthy Bridge over the River Meavy, at “the far end” of Burrator Reservoir. A part of the car park is seen across the river and the track up to Crazy Well Pool

A near-river level view of the single-arch bridge

A barrier to prevent animals gaining access to the lake area

The small gate in the centre of this photograph gives access to today’s walk. It is a few yards back over the bridge from the car park. A few yards inside the gate is a ruined “blowing house”

Ruined blowing house

Looking down on the tin mill site, beside the River Meavy.

A view of the ascending path through the woods

Approaching Devonport Leat

Devonport Leat

Devonport Leat, clapper bridge and an old leat monitoring station

A setup where water flow was once monitored.

Looking towards Cross Gate, where there is an old cross, possibly incorporating part of the missing Leathertor Cross; the wooden fencing on the right is around Cross Gate cairn and cist

Cross Gate Cairn & Cist

The Cross Gate cairn and its cist, at SX 5631 6953, are described by J. Butler (1994), Dartmoor Atlas of Antiquities III, The South West. 45.17 Leather Tor South cairn and cist, pages 51-52. This is described as a well-preserved cairn and cist, first recorded in 1935. The robbers’ trench came in from the south-east, displacing the end stone downhill where it is now partly covered by the capstone

Closer view. “Kistvaen - A stone coffin, from from the Celtic cist, a chest, and maen, stone

Image (c) J Butler 1994. Reproduced by kind permission (ref. 29 Sept. 2012)

Approaching Leathertor Farm, gate and stile on the left. The signpost is seen next below, and down the slope on the right is the fougou

The signpost

PUBLIC BRIDLEWAY OLDER BRIDGE / COUNTY ROAD CROSS GATE. Older Bridge is at SX 5981 7055, out past Crazy Well Pool where the old Abbot’s Way crosses Devonport leat. Presumably the bridge was built when the leat was built (around 1801) so that the old track could still be used without hindrance

The famous Dartmoor Treacle Mine, hidden until recent tree felling. The entrance is marked by the white “v”

Wikipedia Article about Dartmoor Treacle Mining

This adit is found down the slope below Leathertor Farm. Look down the slope for the biggest tree stump near the river and the next stump downriver i.e. to rhe right. The mine entrance is hidden in the slope, between the two stumps.

Closer view

The Fougou (Cave)

Alternatively, the fougou (Cornish for “cave” or vooga in “Devon”) at SX 56721 69774: a tinners’ cache, dug into a bank where they would keep tools overnight to save carrying them long distances. It can be viewed from the Norsworthy Bridge-to-Leather Tor Bridge track at SX 56772 69746

Fougou internal view

Note the granite slabs forming the roof, making this a man-made cave (for tools) rather than the more usual potato cave. Potato caves are normally dug into growan (“rotted” granite). In this photograph, there is water in the fougou. The dimensions are 11-feet deep, 3-feet wide, 4-feet high, with the entrance being just 2-feet high (Hemery, High Dartmoor, p.124). There is a traditional potato cave just 50 metres away on the track below Leathertor Farm.

Heritage Gateway Article for this fougou

Leathertor Farm

Leathertor Farm, at SX 5668 6980

Leathertor Farm is first recorded in Bailiff’s Accounts for the Manor of Dartmoor in 1362, regarding the renting of land at Leddertorre. Later, in 1511, more detailed reports were made. The last tenant was William Lillicrap who abandoned the farm in 1924. Some occupants were also tinners.

Source: Paul Rendell (2007) Exploring Around Burrator, The Dartmoor Company, Okehampton, pages 20 and 55. The more modern buildings, above the track to the leat, were once West Leathertor

Heritage Gateway Article for this farm

Notice

Note the “broad and narrow” stonework at the quoins (external angles of the walls)

A view around the corner

Rain Gauge

Near the buildings, up the slope, is this old rain gauge enclosure.

This gauge dates from before 1892 and is shown on the OS 1892-1914 and 1906 Ordnance Survey maps

Rain collecting vessel in situ

Rain Gauge entry on Waymarking.com

Unidentified lichens on the fence rail

A feature located around the back of the ruined farm buildings, or accessed by going up the track past the ruins and cutting back, up to the left

One authority has described this feature as “two granite plinths which may once have been the supports for a cider press”: Source: Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor, Grid Square 5667 6982.

I am inclined to disagree and suggest this is the base for a large, mounted sharpening stone, the bottom of which could run through water in the trough, making it a wet stone (not to be confused with whet, an old word that means to “sharpen”).

I have provided the horse-power for a similar stone - but with an iron strap frame and without the trough, when my father wanted to sharpen his axe - around 1956-1964!

Looking across the track that goes to Devonport Leat, at the old buildings of the farm, once part of West Leathertor, beside the Cross Gate-Older Bridge track

As above

Potato Cave

About 50 metres down the road towards Leather Tor Bridge, at SX 5671 6981, a potato cave, 32 x 7 x 8 ft high. It is described by Eric Hemery, High Dartmoor, page 126. It would have been used for storing root crops, such as potatoes and swedes - no doubt for their pasties!

Closer view

Closer again

The interior of the “cave”, showing it is dug into growan or the ground and not constructed of stone

Heritage Gateway Article for this cave

Leathertor Bridge

Leathertor Bridge, at SX 5688 6996

Walkhampton Parish Council decided on 20th June 1833 to build a bridge over Riddipit Stream (nowadays, the River Meavy) at this spot (this is the site of the Riddipit Steps stepping stones crossing place).

At the next meeting the following month (25th July) it was resolved to accept a tender from George Worth and Wm. Mashford for £26.10s. This is a little more elaborate than most clapper bridges in that it has parapets.

Source: Eric Hemery, High Dartmoor, page 126. Apparently, this was the last clapper bridge to be built on Dartmoor (Johnies Meanderings, 20th August 2012).

Looking up-stream

Another view of the bridge

Looking down on the parapet, some stones are secured with iron straps

Looking from the other side of the river. The central feature is the old ford

The seven stepping stones of the old Riddipit Steps are still to be seen, four in situ and three displaced by floods

The track junction seen when coming from Leathertor Bridge: left goes to Riddipit and the bridlepath along the river out to the open moor; right goes to Keaglesborough Mine, Raddick Lane, Crazy Well Pool and beyond - including Older Bridge

Riddipit Farm

The site of Riddipit farm beside Riddipit Lane

Hemery (p.127) notes alternative names are Ritthy Pit, Riddy Pit, Reedapit (1611), possibly to do with rushes, rishes or reeds. There were two houses here, shown on the 1840 tithe map - the remains of one longhouse are seen at the right edge of this photograph and the second one is seen across the clearing, down by the track. There are other ruined buildings, possibly barns, animal sheds or labourers’ dwellings.

Riddipit Stream rises above the site and crosses the track in a granite conduit.

Crossing’s Guide, p.100: Riddy Pit, there are stones with hollows in them (i.e. mortar stones), now in the paving of the track, a little beyond this view up the track. Close by, is an old wall, in the nearby hedge is a stone with a cavity on each side. Another curious stone with a round top and a piece of iron leaded into it is probably the upper stone of a crushing mill: this was never found by Hemery.

First recorded 1564, abandoned by 1871 when the enclosures were incorporated into Leather Tor Farm.

Source: Paul Rendell (2007) Exploring Around Burrator, The Dartmoor Company, pages 31 and 57

Heritage Gateway Article for Riddipit Farm

Lower gable end wall of the longhouse (animal shippon) with a slit window

Looking upslope along the length of the longhouse. I measured the house at 24.4 x 5.33 metres (80 x 17.5 feet), using a 50-metre tape

Heritage Gateway Article for this Southern Farmbuilding

Looking across the site towards the second house seen on the tithe map surveyed in 1839 and approved in 1840

Heritage Gateway Article for this Northern Farmbuilding

Riddipit Tin Mill right beside the track, at SX 57020 70162

Described as a blowing house, but with no trace of a leat, launder bank or wheel pit, three necessary signs for a blowing house or tin mill, therefore probably a cart shed for the farm (Hemery p.128).

However, the field behind this hedge is called “Mill Park” in the tithe apportionments (Plot 930).

Also, the remains an old mortar stone is to be found here under the leaves and debris - but mortar stones are found widespread in the area.

Heritage Gateway Article for this Stamping Mill

Mortar Stone

Close view of a broken mortar stone in the “blowing house”

Stile into Riddipit potato cave, which is just out of sight at the top right

Big Potato Cave

The big potato cave at SX 57104 70336

RN Worth (1967) Worth’s Dartmoor, David & Charles, page 417, describes it as a potato cave (always dug into growan) but Eric Hemery (1983) High Dartmoor, Robert Hale, London, page 129, argues that it shows signs of corbelling (as used in beehive huts, never seen in potato caves) and is in fact a cache (or vooga / fougou) for miners’ tools from the Keaglesborough (Kekelles Burrowghe) Tin Mine.

Heritage Gateway Article for this potato cave

The entrance built of stone

Flash photograph of the interior of the cave, about “35 feet deep” (Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor, CD-ROM, Dartmoor Press, Grid Square 5710 7031)

View from the rear of the cave, natural light. Note the restricted zone inside the cave entrance where there is enough natural light for green plant life

Flash photograph inside the cave looking out. Note the granite door jambs and lintel, with a gate hanger visible in the left jamb

Walking up the track from beside the River Meavy, approaching the entrance into the Keaglesborough Mine area (ahead, to the left, before reaching Raddick Lane). The adit is down on the left (in the gert) after going through the entrance. The old access to the adit is blocked off with large boulders, seen in the extreme left of the photograph

Keaglesborough Mine

The earliest reference to tinworking on this site is in a deed from 1538, where it is called Kekylsburgh. There is also a mention in a Walkhampton Manor court roll dated 1565 of Kekellas Burrowghe Mill. There are other references in deeds etc.

Keaglesburrowe Sett, “Keagles Burro also Lambards Park” (1748-65) and again (1811-20), another mention in 1820 uses “Lambers Parks Alies Kegales Borough” (= alias) and later Keagles Burrow Mine. Source: Mike Brown (2001) Guide to Dartmoor, CD-ROM, Dartmoor Press, Grid Square 573 701.

Tin mining started with men following alluvial deposits up streams and rivers and then digging into veins/lodes with pits and openworks (gerts or beams) into the hills. An Openwork in the nearby Newleycombe valley (Kingsett Gert) was first mentioned in 1505 (then, a long time in dispute), with a later date of 1639 (i.e. more than 140 years working). Ref. Phil Newman (1998), The Dartmoor Tin Industry - A Field Guide, Chercombe Press, Newton Abbot, p.8.

Early tin workings, while being a large industry in medieval times, finally ceased production by 1750 (Newman, Ibid, p.55).

In the late 1700s and 1800s, workings started going underground - with drainage effected by adits, horizontal tunnels driven into hillsides to let water run out of the workings e.g. Keaglesborough and Eylesborough.

General view of the adit in Keaglesborough Gert, at SX 57220 70074

Turning around and looking down the mining gert ….. “Riddipit openworks. Part of Keaglesborough Mine”

Closer view of the adit

Inside the entrance

Further in, around to the left

Keaglesborough Mine, no other details recorded. Dartmoor Archive image used with permission

Small wheelpit at SX 57290 70100, on the lower dressing floor

There are two “dressing floors” on this site, these being areas where mined rock is treated to concentrate the tin by crushing (under iron “stamps” falling againt mortar stones) to separate the tin-bearing rock from other rock of no value. The end of the leat that powered the waterwheel is probably the raised grassy area seen towards the top right in the photograph …..

This wheel was operating in 1801; length of wheelpit - 6.2 metres (20 feet) with a double-sided dressing floor, rectangular buddles. Source: Newman, Landscape, p.53 (see below for full reference).

Heritage Gateway MDV35575 - Keaglesborough Mine

The leat embankment on the lower dressing floor

Big shaft at SX 57339 70077: with Leather Tor immediately behind and Sharpitor to the right. This is looking down the slope to where we entered the area

Upper dressing floor. Looking up the tailrace to the large wheelpit, with the raised embankment that brought the water to the waterwheel (via a launder) behind

Large wheelpit, SX 57381 70118. This wheel was operating in 1830. Length of wheelpit 9 metres (30 feet) with a double-sided dressing floor and rectangular buddles. Source: Newman, Landscape, p.53

Looking along the large wheelpit and down the tailrace

Looking across the wheelpit to the far side of which is the silted up settling pit. Beyond that is the area where there were two square buddles

Remains of one of the buddles

Raised embankment that carried the leat towards the waterwheel

Tinning was important on Dartmoor from about 1150 and throughout the Middle Ages.
Stannary records show that in the busiest period, 1515-1538, the “average” output of white tin metal presented annually for coinage was about 500,000 lbs i.e. 223 tons. Thus, over this 24 years, this would have been 5,357 tons. If a mould stone produced ingots that weighed about 1 cwt then this means 107,143 ingots were produced. It is believed that not all tin was presented for coinage and taxation.

Source: Interpretation of data in: Tom Greeves (2017),The World of the Dartmoor Tinner: An Historical Context 12th to 20th Century. In: Phil Newman (Ed), The Tinworking Landscape of Dartmoor in a European Context, 1-14. Dartmoor Tinworking Research Group

Tare and Feathers Stone

Tare and feathers stone, beside the track at SX 56990 69490, where someone drilled the stone and inserted sets of feathers, separated by hammering in a tare (metal chisel piece) to apply steady pressure until the rock cracked, which it did in part. This method of cutting granite was introduced around 1800 AD

Abandoned feathers and tare

Another view of abandoned feathers and tare