About the year 1787, Mr. Gullet, above mentioned, re-opened a lead and silver mine at Newton St. Cyres; but it was abandoned after a trial of five or six years. The proportion of silver in this ore is said to have been 30 ounces in a ton.(fn. n49)The lead veins or lodes in Devon range from north to south, crossing the usual direction of the copper and tin mines. It is said that there have been lead-mines formerly at Ilsington. Lead-ore has been found at Rattery. Lead is found accompanying the copper in Wheal Friendship mine. At one time, this was the only lead ore raised in the county.(fn. n50)
Most of the ores dug in the mines near Tavistock, are exported from Plymouth. The quantities have of late decreased; in 1819, 9271 tons were exported; in 1820, 8096; and in 1821, only 6312.
There are said to have been old iron mines at Rattery, and near South Molton. Vancouver mentions, that a considerable quantity of rich ironstone was sent annually from the neighbourhood of Comb Martin to South Wales. Upon enquiry, I find that this was from the year 1796 to 1802; and it was sent to the iron-works at Llanelly. The quantity sent in the seven years was 9293 tons.(fn. n51)None has been shipped since 1802, which was some years before Mr. Vancouver's survey was published.
Manganese has been found in great quantities in this county; and within the last fifty years a considerable trade has been carried on in that article. It was first found about the year 1770, at Upton Pyne, about four miles north of Exeter; and this mine, together with two others of less consequence on the same lode at Newton St. Cyres, for many years supplied the whole united kingdom with this article; and of the finest quality, as I am informed, ever raised any where. The consumption for some years was inconsiderable, the use of it being confined almost wholly to manufacturing what was called the Egyptian ware in Staffordshire, and in purifying glass. Its use in bleaching, however, afterwards became considerable; and from about 1804 to 1810, the quantity shipped from Exeter amounted to between two and 3000 tons per annum. The mines, or pits, at Newton St. Cyres, failed about the year 1810; and since that period, the mine at Upton Pyne has been exhausted. New discoveries of manganese, however, were made in the parishes of Doddescombleigh, Ashton, Christow, &c. seven miles west of Exeter, which are said to have produced from ten to 1500 tons per annum. They are still worked, but the produce of last year did not much exceed 450 tons. It is shipped at Exeter.
About 1815, manganese mines were discovered in the neighbourhood of Tavistock, in the parishes of Coryton, Brent Tor, Lifton, Maristow(fn. n52), and Milton Abbot, from which considerable quantities are procured and shipped at Plymouth; at which port the exportations of this article are increasing, 1336 tons having been shipped off in 1819, 2170 in 1820, and 2212 in 1821: but a considerable portion of this must have been from the neighbouring part of Cornwall. In the note below will be seen the produce of each of the Devonshire mines in the year 1821.(fn. n52)Manganese has been found in the north of the county, in the parishes of Braunton and Marwood, but not in sufficient quantity to encourage speculation.
Antimony is of rare occurrence in this county; but a considerable and increasing quantity is dug for sale at Pillaton, in the adjoining county of Cornwall(fn. n53), and exported from Plymouth.(fn. n54)
Cobalt has been found near Meavy and Walkhampton, but not in a sufficient quantity to become an article of commerce.(fn. n55)The same may be said of zinc and arsenic.
Large quantities of ochre occur in the parish of East Downe. In the year 1785, Mr. Pine Coffin set up a manufactory there for grinding it: umber, raised at Berry Narbor, was sent thither to be ground with it; and for three years 45 tons, on an average, were shipped and consigned to London; but from difficulties which occurred in managing the concern, Mr. Pine Coffin was induced to discontinue it. Whilst the concern was carried on, these articles were much in use by the paper-stainers: the umber was esteemed to be of a particularly good quality.
In the parishes of Hennock and Lustleigh there is found in the granite a species of micaceous or specular iron ore, known by the name of Devonshire sand; a few tons of this article were sent, some years ago, from Exeter to London, where it was used for writing-sand, and various other purposes. It was sold from three guineas to eight guineas a ton.
Pipe-clay was formerly dug in great abundance at Weare Giffard, and in the parishes of Peters Merland, and Petrockstow. It was sent coastwise from the port of Bideford, and by canals to the potteries in Staffordshire. The pits at the two last-mentioned places have not been worked for nearly 20 years.
Pipe and potters' clay are found, in inexhaustible quantities(fn. n56), in the parishes of Hennock, Ilsington, Bovey-Tracey, Teigngrace, King's Teignton, &c. Some years ago pipe-clay was dug at Knighton, in the parish of Hennock, and manufactured into tobacco-pipes on the spot. The manufacture has been long since given up, and the works abandoned. Both pipe and potters' clay are now dug in great quantities on Bovey Heathfield, and in the parish of King's Teignton; and are conveyed by the Stover canal, constructed by Mr. Templer, to Teignmouth, whence it is shipped to most parts of the united kingdom. The potters' clay is used at the manufactories at Indio and Bovey Heathfield, and sent to most of the manufactories of earthenware. A potters' clay, of a very superior quality, has recently been discovered in the parish of King's Teignton, which burns remarkably white, and is considered as a most valuable discovery for the manufacture of China. About 20,000 tons of clay of the various sorts, are annually exported from Teignmouth.(fn. n57)
The clay-pits are for the most part the property of George Templer, Esq.: they were first worked about the year 1730. The demand has greatly increased within the last 40 years, particularly since the Stover canal has been opened. The pits are open works, seldom exceeding 100 feet in depth: the clay is cut into square pieces of about 33 lbs. each, which are readily raised by the workmen without machinery. The pits are kept clear of water by common wooden pumps.
Brown clay is raised in the parish of Fremington, and manufactured into useful coarse earthenware at the potteries at Barnstaple and Bideford.
The anthracite, already mentioned as found near Bideford, is raised in considerable quantities for the purpose of a pigment, and is employed as such in the dock-yard at Plymouth.
Several attempts have been made to procure coal in this county. Mr. Northmore sunk a shaft for this purpose near Exeter in 1818, but was unsuccessful, as his father had been in 1761: he still supposes, nevertheless, that coal would be found at a great depth; but it is the opinion of the most scientific geologists of the present day, that coal does not occur in the strata of this county. It has been said, that it has been found in small quantities at Abbotsham(fn. n58), and elsewhere; but culm might have been mistaken for it. Culm has been dug in the parishes of Tawstock, High Heanton, and Chittlehampton. At the two last-mentioned places, the works were soon abandoned; but, at Tawstock, it was procured in great quantities and of a good quality about the middle of the last century. The works had been given up, and re-opened about 1790: they were abandoned about 1800, on account of the water; at that time, about 900 bushels a week were procured; the depth of the pit being then about 25 fathoms. The culm is found at the depth of about five or six fathoms; the veins, of which there are two, are about nine feet thick, and are supposed to be of great depth.
The substance called Bovey coal, on Bovey Heathfield, (for an account of which see p. ccxlix.) was first dug for use early in the last century. It is not much used for fuel, except by the neighbouring cottagers, on account of its bituminous smell: its use, indeed, is now chiefly confined to a pottery established a few years ago near the pit, and an adjoining lime-kiln. The bed appears to be inexhaustible, and were its smell less offensive, would be a most valuable property.
There are various beautiful marbles in Devonshire, which occur in the limestone rocks at Chudleigh, Bickington near Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Denbury, Staverton, Berry Pomeroy, Waddon, Churston, &c. near Torbay, Babicombe, St. Mary Church, King's Teignton, Drewe's Teignton, South Tawton, Yealmton, Brixton, Oreston, &c.; and some years ago, a good deal of the Babicombe marble was polished, and sent to London. The marble from the Chudleigh and Harcombe rocks is now manufactured into beautiful chimney-pieces, and sent from the port of Teignmouth.
Prodigious quantities of lime are procured from the limestone and marble rocks, which occur in various parts of the county; near Plymouth, at St. Mary Church, Buckfastleigh, Bickington near Ashburton, Branscombe on the south coast, South Tawton, Bampton, Cannonleigh, Hockworthy, Castlehill, Swimbridge, Comb Martin, &c. &c. &c. Lord Fortescue, who owns the works at Castlehill, had formerly lime-works at Challocombe, but they have been discontinued. The great lime-works at Swimbridge are on an estate called Marsh; there are other smaller works in that parish and Landkey. There are several small lime-works in Comb Martin: those of J. D. Basset, Esq., are on an extensive scale, as are those at Canonleigh, in Burlescombe. The great excavations near the present lime-works at South Tawton, show that they have been worked there for a great length of time. So extensive is the use of this article in Devonshire as a manure, that, besides the immense quantities raised in the county, there are at least 20 kilns between Weare Giffard and the mouth of Bideford harbour for the purpose of burning lime imported from Wales, and three or four more scattered round the bay.
Granite of the best quality, which has of late been brought much into use for bridges and other public works, may be obtained in any quantities from the Dartmoor rocks; but on account of the difficulties of carriage, it has never till of late been thought of as an article of commerce. A railroad is now making to convey granite from Dartmoor to Plymouth; and a rail-road has been completed by Mr. Templer, which conveys this article from his quarries at Heytor to the Stover canal. The Heytor granite is said to be equal in quality to that of Aberdeen, and has great comparative advantages in the facility of carriage. The concern is in its infancy, but a considerable quantity has already been exported from Teignmouth; 150 men are now working the quarries, and it is expected that double that number will soon be employed.
There are quarries of good building-stone at Flitton, in North Molton, in Ashwater, Lew Trenchard, &c.; at Great Cocktree, in South Tawton, and at Beer on the south coast. That of the latter quarry exactly resembles the fine stone at Toternhoe, in Bedfordshire. A considerable quantity of it is dug and sent coastwise. It was used for the inside work of Exeter cathedral. The clay-porphyry, which occurs in detached rocks on Roborough down, near Plymouth, is said by Marshall to have been used formerly for the Gothic ornaments of most of the churches in the west of Devon, and the neighbouring parts of Cornwall.(fn. n59)
The alabaster which is found in the cliffs from Beer to Salcombe, Branscombe, and Sidmouth, makes good plaster of Paris; but it is in small quantities, and, I am informed, is now collected by a labouring man, who scarcely makes a livelihood by it.
The principal slate-quarries in Devonshire are near Ivybridge; Cann quarry, about five miles from Plymouth, Lamerton, Lew Trenchard, Werrington (an insulated district of the north of Cornwall), Mill hill, and other places near Tavistock; West Alvington, and Buckland Toussaints. Before the Dutch war, in 1781, great quantities of slate were exported from the Buckland quarries to Holland. This trade has not since revived. A branch of the Tavistock canal has been carried to the Millhill slatequarries. The slate from this neighbourhood is exported to Guernsey and Jersey, and has been sent to France, but not of late years. The quantity of slate sent from the quarry has indeed altogether much diminished.
The soft sandstone on the side of Blackdown, within the parishes of Peahembury, Broad Hembury, and Kentisbeare, is worked on the spot, whilst wet, into whetstones: they are made also on the east side of Haldon, in the parish of Kenne. The greater part of the whetstones, which are sold by the name of Devonshire batts, are sent to Bridgewater, and thence by water to Bristol, Gloucester, Worcester, &c. &c. Some are exported from Topsham to London.
Westcote mentions the magnets of South Brent as famous in his time, and Chapple speaks of them among the commodities of Devon: but they have long ceased to be considered as such.
After having spoken at large of the commodities of the land, something should be said of the produce of the rivers and the coast. The most important fishery of the rivers was that of salmon, which has of late years much declined in this, as well as in other counties, in consequence of the fish having been destroyed in the spawning season. Salmons are the produce of all the principal rivers: those of the Exe and Dart are said to be most esteemed. Salmon-peal is found in the Tavy, the Tamar, the Otter, the Dart, the Arme, and the Mole. Trout abound in almost all the principal rivers. The lamprey is found in the Exe and the Mole, but has not the same repute as the lamprey of the Severn.
The herring-fishery on the north coast of Devon, though never to be spoken of as of much importance, compared with the fisheries of Scotland, was formerly much more considerable than it has been of late years, and consituted a chief source of employment for the poorer classes of Clovelly, Lymouth, &c. Both white and red herrings were then cured at Ilfracombe(fn. n60)for exportation, and great numbers of both sorts were sent to Bristol. For some years past the herrings have not been so abundant on this coast. During the last year, the fishery promised to be more successful; but the exposed situation of the coast is most unfavourable to the fishermen, and the storms which happened in the month of October last afforded a melancholy instance(fn. n61)of its insecurity. There is a small herringfishery at Teignmouth: considerable numbers are taken during the winter season in set-nets.
There has been for some years an extensive pilchard-fishery at Burrisland in Bigbury bay. Large quantities were taken here, and at two adjoining stations, called Clannaborough and the Warren. They are cured on the spot(fn. n60), and sold to the Cornish merchants. About four years ago, so large a quantity was taken in the bay as produced about 7000l., but the fishermen have not since had a successful season.(fn. n62)In Start bay there is also a pilchard fishery, but not on so extensive a scale: there are also about 300,000 pilchards taken annually, on an average, by drift-net boats from Dartmouth and Brixham. There was formerly a pilchard-fishery at Teignmouth.
Pilchards taken on the Cornish coast are cured at Plymouth, and exported from thence. Sidmouth is spoken of by Leland as one of the fishing towns of the county, but there is now scarcely any fishing carried on there. Westcote speaks of the fishing-trade at Plymouth as having been carried on in his time to a great extent; and says that very often 100 sail of fishing-vessels, and sometimes double that number, were to be seen in the harbour. There are now about 40 trawlers belonging to this port, which supply Plymouth with fish, besides what is sent from thence to the Bath market.
Teignmouth has a considerable fishery for whitings, mackerel, soles, turbot, &c.; but the great fishery of the western part of England is now in Torbay. The number of decked fishing-smacks belonging to Brixham is 89; that of open fishing boats 60; the number of men and boys employed in the fishery about 540. The number of tons weekly brought to market, is, on an average, 120; the annual quantity 6240 tons. The fish taken are chiefly turbots, soles, whiting, mackerel, &c. The Bath and Exeter markets are supplied from this fishery, and great quantities are sent by sea to Portsmouth, whence they are conveyed by land-carriage to London.
At Star-cross are oyster-beds, to which the oysters are brought from the Teign, from Weymouth, Pool, Saltash, &c., and having been fed for awhile in these beds, are sent to the Exeter market. The young oysters from the Teign are sent to be fed also in the Thames for the London market.
The port of Bideford had formerly a great concern in the Newfoundland trade, as is stated more at large in the account of that town. Topsham had also a considerable share of the trade. At present no port in Devonshire, except those of Dartmouth and Teignmouth, have any great share in it, and the trade of the former has of late years much declined. In 1791, 112 ships were employed in this trade at Dartmouth; there are now only 59. In 1820, 10,504 quintals of cod-fish, brought from Newfoundland, were shipped from this port, of which 1073 were sent coastwise, and 9431 to foreign ports. The same year 3326 quintals of cod-fish were sent from the port of Exeter, which includes Teignmouth, from which place 35 vessels sailed that year for Newfoundland. The small port of Torquay has some concern in this trade. At Plymouth two ships only are regularly employed in it: a few ships from this port are now employed in the whale-fishery(fn. n63); and a ship is lately gone to South Shetland for furs and skins.
