Lewdowns Cottages are a substantial set of little known and overgrown ruins of a two-story farmhouse, believed to be dating from the 1700s.
There are some outbuildings, two of which have crudely made stoves and chimneys. It's not hard to imagine them as small sleeping or resting areas for miners working a short distance downhill in the Wray Cleave mines. Some of the bricks are marked 'Candy' and were made at Heathfield.
Close to the site is a 1950s Bullgrader, left to rot. Might this have been used to carve some of the access tracks through the woodlands below?
The cache is placed adjacent to the footpath and there is no need to access the ruins, but there is nothing to stop you either - but do take care, they are dangerous and if you explore you do so at your own risk. Certainly not somewhere to let children play - at least, not if you're fond of them.
The footpath leads through a field which sometimes has cattle in. It also has a rather good view up the valley towards Mortenhampstead on a clear day.
See gallery for some photos.
Permission kindly granted by Dartmoor National Park using their Geocaching Guidelines