The mining region around Mary Tavy/Peter Tavy is one of my favourites but seemingly has been ignored in terms of conservation. I have done a recent detailed walk of the site and am sad that the features are really starting to disintigrate since my last walk there 5 years before. The feed pipe to the Stanton built water turbine has rotted thru at the bank end and now points to the floor rather than at the turbine, the mill site is now showing real signs of collapse and given that the site is unique as far as I know in that area I don't understand why this important piece of Devons heritage is just being left to rot. It seems on my recent West Country visits that Cornwall continues to get its act together gradually but nothing has changed in Devon... if this is the case? why is it so?.... Around Mary Tavy are some amazing remains, it would be a real shame if they are allowed to just rot away or disappear. Can anybody cast any light on why Devon has failed to conserve these areas... just out of interest.
I managed to make my way right around the mill site which has been way to overgrown previously and got alot of clear pics. I will post when I get time. Update I have put 4 pictures on in my personal album.

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yeah i know these mines pretty well living as i do in Plymouth and having lived in Tavistock a few years ago, tiss a nice place and very easy access right on a footpath as it is and i too have noticed the sad demise of this and other industrial archeology in the area.
i have some old pics from the area from 2003 (must scan them sometime) i also have a survey of the overground workings . i carried out then based on extending the one in P.H.G. Richardsons book (1991) Mines of Dartmoor & the Tamar Valley after 1913, will try and find that sometime if anyones interested... very good book by the way. :thumbup:

Hi, I've got the book and it is a stunner in terms of useful info for that area, I know the plan you mean. I first went 9 years ago and spent hours there photographing, I will post some as I have them scanned. I just don't get the Devon authorities, these sites are as important as Morwelham so why no action, even if it was done in conjunction with the land owner just to stabalise, clean up and provide basic access as seen in Wales and parts of Cornwall. Just conserve whats there for now would be enough, coupled to a decent path or two will stop land erosion and ensure the people of Devon have their grandfathers legacy at hand to see.
The same applies to Devon Wheal Friendship with arsenic site and the Wheal pit etc round the corner. These are being irrevocably destroyed yet many of the features are unique. I just don't get it thats all? Or does it come down to people not wanting us poking round? 😉 [img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Personal-Album-856-Image-001/[/img]
[img]http://www.aditnow.co.uk/showimage?f=/community/Personal-Album-856-Image-005/[/img]

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It can sometimes depend on whether the county archaeologists properly understand industrial archaeology or not, and whether they grasp the local/national significance of the remains on their patch as to what measure they take to try and preserve the most important bits. Bear in mind that the level of identification and interest in remains can depend very much on the personal knowledge of the professional archaeologists who cover that area.

Amateurs and societies have their role to play too, in recording, interpreting and watching out for threats to the remains - get a good relationship going with your county archaeological service and you'll very likely find that they will start to take more of an interest in what's on their patch.

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So basically let people know whats there and why its important.
I might even give that a go in this case, but i feel sure people have tried before regarding the sites concerned here as 9 years ago there were some guys there from the Devonshire County mob with a bloke who seemed to know his stuff on the site.... here we are 9 years later... no change.

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Ferret, I am somewhat confused on this site re Devon United, I went to post my pics on there and found a stickie almost saying in wrong place.....???? Am confused now is the Devon United the one we are talking about, the same as the one in the list. Also we seem to be short on Devon Wheal Friendship? which I think would be worth adding, so will.

Regards

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Not my area so I'm on thin ice here. Unfortunately the Devon United in the data base has got no grid ref. Or rather it has one but it's all the zeros. Google puts it at SX521795 but it depends obviously whether you take north, central or south.

🔗Personal-Album-272-Image-038[linkphoto]Personal-Album-272-Image-038[/linkphoto][/link]

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Just added Devon Wheal Friendship but not sure how to amend Devon United Grid ref.... seems sensible to base it around central mine and mill at sx513788 to sx522794.
The undergrowth is well dead this year and site is excellent as an example of a water powered South West Site. :thumbup:

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apologies ...thanks for going tp trouble of pic :thumbsup:

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hi as as area mod i have cleared up the matter for you: you now have Devon United, south mine: http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/Devon-United-Mixed-Mine-2/ 
and Devon United, central: http://www.aditnow.co.uk/mines/Devon-United-Mixed-Mine/ 
hope this clears the matter up a little :thumbsup:
will post some of my own pics when they get scanned... ::)
cheers for now . ferret

Ta Mate

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np glad i could help.. :thumbsup:

I have posted a bunch of my pictures inc some taken recently and some 9-10 years ago. Great site this, nice to have a home for pics. 😉

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The only public right of way at these mines is the footpath that runs through the site. I know the owner very well, and he is very accommodating regarding access to the site if permission is requested. Not too keen on people just wandering around because of the legal implications of being sued. (You know the *ollocks that I'm on about)
The reason why Devon always gets overlooked is that no-one even try’s to acquire funding like they do in Cornwall. The local Governmental bodies do not know, or care about our mining heritage. They would rather it just disappeared altogether.
TM

OOOOPS on the trespass bit then, apologies to the owner in that case please. Could you negotiate a prolongued access for me because I think there is a lot more to the place... I could do days there, (and I will away my rights re injury etc).
Has your group tried approaching local authorities, would the local land owner be ok re stabalisation/preservation anyway?
Anything would be better than how it is now, even if a bunch of us tidied it up etc, cut back the bracken etc, repaired fences. This site coupled to the Friendship site would be a real gem in the crown of Devon.

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The Wheal Friendship Mine is owned by South West Water (Water Board) I have tried for four, yes four years to negociate access to certain mines for local groups to no avail. Each time a hurdle was put in place... we jumped that one and another appeared. The end of it was we got fed up with being forced to jump all the hurdles.

I'm pretty certain if I rang the landowner of the Devon United Mines he would be happy for site clearance, as when Devon held the NAMHO conference last year some remedial work was carried out so that surface trips could take place.

Regards TM

But the main part of Friendship is well away from SWW. Surely they would want to stabalise whats there as its to their advantage. I mean you really want the arsenic mill leaching into the brook just below or someone falling down the water wheel pits.... Or just dumping all that crap on you know which part of the site.... shame on them.

United would be a lovely project! Amazing what you can do with a chain saw, weed killer, spade, hammer, nails and a few spare weekends. Well thats how one guy at Kelly Mine put it.!!!

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ICLOK - Did you get the private message that I sent you?
Regards TM

Yes I did and have applied for PM privelidges as when I tried to respond it said I have to apply... In summary my answer is course you can, thats what they are for.

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