Charge Magazine
IMG_1616
Charge Magazines, Powder Mills gunpowder factory, Dartmoor, Devon, GBR.
The decision to build a gunpowder mill in Dartmoor was driven by the strong local demand from nearby mining complexes such as Birch Tor, as well as regional quarries including Swell Tor, Foggintor and Merrivale, and agricultural uses such as rock clearance during enclosure. The site produced blackpowder from a mixture of imported saltpetre and sulphur, and locally sourced charcoal, made from alder, willow, juniper and birch. The production process included grinding, blending, incorporation, pressing, granulating (‘corning’), dusting, and drying, often using water-powered machinery. The final product was packed in oak barrels and distributed to regional depots such as Tavistock, Exeter and Plymouth.
The site incorporated extensive safety measures, including widely spaced buildings with light roofs to mitigate blast damage. The industrial remains are complemented by significant prehistoric archaeology, including a Bronze Age hut circle settlement, enclosures, and a cairn, indicating long-term human use of the landscape. This combination of well-documented industrial activity and prehistoric remains makes Powder Mills an exceptional and nationally important heritage site.
‘Powder Mills – Gunpowder Factory’. Accessed 16 May 2025. dartmoorexplorations.co.uk/powder-mills-gunpowder-factory/.
Sandles, Tim. ‘Dartmoor’s Powder Mills’. Accessed 18 May 2025. www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/2017/09/01/dartmoors-powder-m....
Charge Magazine
IMG_1616
Charge Magazines, Powder Mills gunpowder factory, Dartmoor, Devon, GBR.
The decision to build a gunpowder mill in Dartmoor was driven by the strong local demand from nearby mining complexes such as Birch Tor, as well as regional quarries including Swell Tor, Foggintor and Merrivale, and agricultural uses such as rock clearance during enclosure. The site produced blackpowder from a mixture of imported saltpetre and sulphur, and locally sourced charcoal, made from alder, willow, juniper and birch. The production process included grinding, blending, incorporation, pressing, granulating (‘corning’), dusting, and drying, often using water-powered machinery. The final product was packed in oak barrels and distributed to regional depots such as Tavistock, Exeter and Plymouth.
The site incorporated extensive safety measures, including widely spaced buildings with light roofs to mitigate blast damage. The industrial remains are complemented by significant prehistoric archaeology, including a Bronze Age hut circle settlement, enclosures, and a cairn, indicating long-term human use of the landscape. This combination of well-documented industrial activity and prehistoric remains makes Powder Mills an exceptional and nationally important heritage site.
‘Powder Mills – Gunpowder Factory’. Accessed 16 May 2025. dartmoorexplorations.co.uk/powder-mills-gunpowder-factory/.
Sandles, Tim. ‘Dartmoor’s Powder Mills’. Accessed 18 May 2025. www.legendarydartmoor.co.uk/2017/09/01/dartmoors-powder-m....