Gold in Dartmoor A research project

Bibliography

Sources

Everything on this site should be traceable to something on this page. If a claim here is not sourced, treat it as our opinion.

Primary geological survey

British Geological Survey reports, the backbone of this project.

  1. Leake, R C, Cameron, D G, Bland, D J, Styles, M T and Rollin, K E (1988). Exploration for gold between the lower valleys of the Erme and Avon in the South Hams district of Devon . BGS Mineral Reconnaissance Programme Report 98 (WF/MR/88/098)

    The first dedicated gold programme on the rivers draining southern Dartmoor.

  2. Leake, R C, Cameron, D G, Bland, D J and Styles, M T (1990). Gold and platinum group elements in drainage between the River Erme and Plymouth Sound, south Devon . BGS Mineral Reconnaissance Programme Report 111 (WF/90/003)

    Contains the Holbeton dendritic gold and potarite discovery.

  3. Leake, R C, Cameron, D G, Bland, D J, Styles, M T and Rollin, K E (1992). Exploration for gold in the South Hams district of Devon . BGS Mineral Reconnaissance Programme Report 121 (WF/92/2)

    The synthesis report: 450 drainage sites, 44 above 0.5 ppm Au in panned concentrate.

  4. Leake, R C, Cameron, D G, Scrivener, R C and Bland, D J (1994). Exploration for gold in the Crediton Trough, Devon. Part 1: regional surveys . BGS Mineral Reconnaissance Programme Report 133 (WF/94/004)

  5. Leake, R C, Cameron, D G, Scrivener, R C and Bland, D J (1994). Exploration for gold in the Crediton Trough, Devon. Part 2: detailed surveys . BGS Mineral Reconnaissance Programme Report 134 (WF/94/013)

    Deckport, Solland and the Smallbrook fossil placer.

  6. British Geological Survey (n.d.). Gold. Minerals in Britain: past production, future potential

    National overview; the cover illustration is South Hams alluvial gold.

  7. Cameron, D G and Bland, D J (1994). An appraisal of the gold potential of mine dumps in the North Molton area, North Devon . BGS Mineral Reconnaissance Programme Open File Report 15

Peer-reviewed papers

Published research in the mineralogical and economic geology literature.

  1. Leake, R C and others; later synthesised by Shepherd, Scrivener and co-workers (1991–2004). Permo–Triassic unconformity-related Au–Pd mineralisation, South Devon, UK: new insights and the European perspective . Mineralium Deposita

    Establishes the low-temperature (86 ± 13 °C) carbonate-vein redox model.

  2. Stanley, C J and others (1990). Gold–antimony mineralization at Loddiswell, Devon, UK . Terra Nova 2(3), 226–233

  3. Thorndycraft, V and others (1999). Tracing the record of early alluvial tin mining on Dartmoor, UK . Geological Society, London, Special Publications 165

    Dates the tin-streaming signal in the Erme and Avon valley sediments.

Legislation and byelaws

The statutory position on ownership, access and disturbance.

  1. Dartmoor National Park Authority (in force). Byelaws made under s.90 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and s.11 Dartmoor Commons Act 1985

    Prohibits removing or displacing soil, peat, dung or stones on access land, and metal detecting without the Authority's authorisation. Maximum £500 fine.

  2. UK Parliament (1985). Dartmoor Commons Act 1985

    Section 10 grants public access on foot and horseback for open-air recreation.

  3. UK Parliament (1688 and 1693). Mines Royal Act 1688 and Royal Mines Act 1693

    Left the Crown's ownership of gold and silver intact while removing the Crown's power to seize the whole mine.

Official guidance

Government, Crown Estate and National Park Authority material.

  1. The Crown Estate (current). Commercial exploration of Mines Royal

    Options and leases for gold and silver are offered to commercial applicants via the Crown Estate's mineral agent.

  2. Ministry of Defence (current). Dartmoor firing times and guaranteed public access days

    Six-week programmes; freephone 0800 458 4868.

  3. Dartmoor National Park Authority (current). Military training on Dartmoor

  4. Duchy of Cornwall (current). Devon and Dartmoor estate

    The Duchy owns roughly a third of Dartmoor National Park, some 27,300 hectares.

Secondary and community

History, trade press and prospecting community sources.

  1. Claughton, P (2013). The archaeology of gold mining in England: a research assessment . National Association of Mining History Organisations

    The best single account of documentary evidence for gold in Devon and Cornwall.

  2. UK Gold Prospector (2026). Is gold panning legal in the UK? Permits and laws

    Useful summary of the practical position; cross-checked against statute here.

  3. Tungsten West plc / trade press (2026). Hemerdon (Drakelands) tungsten and tin mine restart

  4. Legendary Dartmoor (2016). Gold

    Collects the historical anecdotes: Mrs Bray's bird quills, the tinner Wellington, and Brammall's 1920s granite assays.

  5. Devon Gold Rush (current). Gold panning experience, Holsworthy

Data and mapping

The open data everything on the maps is built from.

  1. OpenStreetMap contributors (current). OpenStreetMap geodata, ODbL 1.0

    All map geometry on this site derives from OSM. No Ordnance Survey data is used.

On using these

The BGS Mineral Reconnaissance Programme reports are the single most valuable resource for anyone serious about gold in Devon, and they are free. They are scanned typescripts with fold-out maps, written for exploration geologists, and repay slow reading. Start with MRP 121, which synthesises the South Hams work, then follow it back into MRP 98 and 111 for the detail.

Where this site quotes a figure, whether 44 of 450 sites, 380 ppb or 8.6 grains per ton, it comes from one of these documents rather than from another website, and you should be able to find it there.