Tinner's Hut, Rattlebrook Head, Dartmoor. - Dartmoor Granite on Waymarking.com

Dartmoor's valleys used to contain vast amounts of elluvial and alluvial Cassiterite (Tin ore) which was washed there when Dartmoor, which was vastly more mountainous than it is now, eroded millions of years ago.
The black heavy Cassiterite settled in valley bottoms beneath the much lighter Granite sands and pebbles.
Since the Bronze age man has exploited these alluvial deposits. In the Medieval period exploitation of these deposits exploded and Tinner's ventured into the remotest areas of the moor to "stream" the deposits and gain the valuable ore for smelting at various Blowing Houses around the moor.
Due to the distance of some of these alluvial mines from the Tinner's own homes temporary accommodation was built from the local Granite stone to allow the Tinner's to live where they worked for short periods.
These Tinner's huts are scattered all over the moor in valley bottoms.

Ordnance Survey map reference (10 figure) if within DNP – If outside the Park, add N/A: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/23/2009 Brentorboxer visited it

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