I have passed this site many times over the years, but only been to it once before about 3 o'clock in the morning, many moons ago .........
These are some of my pics from last week
From the "Legendary Dartmoor" website
Drive down the B3212 and you will find another of Dartmoor's 'Little Gems' in the shape of Powder Mills, today there is a signpost for a pottery but 160 odd years ago there would have been a busy industrial landscape. This was the site of a gunpowder making factory or mill. The remoteness of the place is the first indicator of what was being made here, clearly you would not build a gunpowder mill near any centre of inhabitation just in case of an accident. So the site of the mill is far enough removed to avoid any catastrophe should an accidental explosion take place.
But why a gunpowder factory in the middle of Dartmoor? One of the answers for this can be found a few miles up the road at the Birch tor mining complex, this and dozens like it all needed gunpowder or 'blackpowder' as it was called for blasting the lode bearing rocks of the mines. In addition there were various quarries who also needed blackpowder for blasting rock such as Swell tor, Foggintor and Merrivale. During the 18th and early 19th centuries farmers were also using gunpowder to clear rocks from lands that were being enclosed, evidence of which can be seen by the 'clearance cairns' at the edges of the newtakes
Proving Mortar
Proving Mortar 2
Housing for Water Wheel
Housing for Water Wheel 2
One of the Chimneys and Flue
Random Window
One of the highlights of the day
It just wouldn't fly away but best shot of them all
Some serious satellite dishes
General Shot
G
These are some of my pics from last week
From the "Legendary Dartmoor" website
Drive down the B3212 and you will find another of Dartmoor's 'Little Gems' in the shape of Powder Mills, today there is a signpost for a pottery but 160 odd years ago there would have been a busy industrial landscape. This was the site of a gunpowder making factory or mill. The remoteness of the place is the first indicator of what was being made here, clearly you would not build a gunpowder mill near any centre of inhabitation just in case of an accident. So the site of the mill is far enough removed to avoid any catastrophe should an accidental explosion take place.
But why a gunpowder factory in the middle of Dartmoor? One of the answers for this can be found a few miles up the road at the Birch tor mining complex, this and dozens like it all needed gunpowder or 'blackpowder' as it was called for blasting the lode bearing rocks of the mines. In addition there were various quarries who also needed blackpowder for blasting rock such as Swell tor, Foggintor and Merrivale. During the 18th and early 19th centuries farmers were also using gunpowder to clear rocks from lands that were being enclosed, evidence of which can be seen by the 'clearance cairns' at the edges of the newtakes
Proving Mortar
Proving Mortar 2
Housing for Water Wheel
Housing for Water Wheel 2
One of the Chimneys and Flue
Random Window
One of the highlights of the day
It just wouldn't fly away but best shot of them all
Some serious satellite dishes
General Shot
G
Last edited:
