Hi Robert,

Hatches or hatch works are frequently mentioned in 16th and 17th century
west-country documents in connection with tin working. The anonymous
writer of 1670 refers to 'essay hatches' which literally translated we
take to mean a trial pit: 

"For in the next place we sink down about the foot or bottom of the Hill
an Essay Hatch (an orifice made for the search of a vein, about 6ft long
and four foot broad)as deep as the shelf... Albeit we find no Shoad in
the first Hatch we are not (as yet)altogether discouraged but ascend
commonly about 12 fathoms and sink a 2d hatch..till we come to the top
of the hill, and if we find none in any of these Hatches, then farewell
to that Hill (Philosophical Transactions 1670)".

The term is also used in a Stannary document of 1531 when discussing the
disposal of waste. Ie: no tinner was to operate a streamwork without
first ensuring that he made "sufficient hatches and ties" for the
disposal of waste.  In 1532 on a similar theme on the dumping of waste
".. to be conveyed and carried, the gravel rubble and sands into old
hatches, tipittes miry places or other convenient places". I don't have
the full text in front of me but they are in Pearce, T 1725 Laws and
Customs of the Stannaries in the Counties of Cornwall and Devon. (May
also be in Lewis but my copy is at home). I'm sure there will be other
references too.

All these references are for tin and it would be interesting to know if
Peter has come across this term in connection with silver in a west
country context.

All the best

Phil

-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Robert Waterhouse
Sent: 29 October 2006 18:14
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Hatches

Dear List,
In the Tamar and Tavy valleys in West Devon we have several woods called
Hatch Wood.  I had thought that these might relate to deer-management or
salmon trapping, both of which use the name for gates or trapping
devices.  However, a friend recently suggested that they might relate to
an early mining technique called a 'hatch'.  I understand that Agricola
mentions hatches, which seem to relate to shafts or box-like open-works,
but wondered if anyone else has come across the term, or has evidence of
other places in Britain where placenames record this term.  Needless to
say, all three Hatch Woods in the area are stuffed with old copper and
tin workings, which are documented from the 15th century up to the 19th.
Robert Waterhouse