The main aim of the survey was to ascertain the precise character of the different types of tinwork and associated structures. Only the production of detailed plans would enable proper systematic and objective study of the many varied features associated with the early tin industry. Previous attempts to understand the earthwork evidence have been hampered by lack of sufficient data and it was felt that the production of detailed plans would enable proper reasoned interpretations for the first time. Contemporary documentation refers to many of the different techniques utilised to extract the tin but because tinworks had not been properly surveyed it had not been possible to match the documentary evidence with the earthworks. Apart from aiding the understanding of the tinworks themselves, it was envisaged that during the survey, the earthworks of associated structures would be located. Documentation refers to stamping and crazing mills, blowing houses and shelters, and it was hoped that examples of these structures would be found in order to establish their relationship within the tinworks they served. Compared with Dartmoor, where all these types of building remains are numerically abundant, previous archaeological research on Foweymore had revealed only a few examples of each type, and it was intended that fieldwork would help increase our knowledge and understanding of this essential aspect of the industry.
Research into the medieval tin industry has largely been historically based and this work has raised many questions which may be investigated further using excavation and field survey techniques. First, there has been much discussion concerning the precise character of the people engaged in tinworking, and it was hoped that detailed fieldwork combined with an excavation strategy would suggest possible answers, either by identifying the mining settlements or by demonstrating that certain tinworks could only have been exploited by professionally organised tinners. Another controversial issue has been the dating of the initiation and development of tin extraction and processing techniques. for example, many papers have appeared concerning the question of the Phoenicians and their impact on Cornwall whilst others have considered the introduction of mining. The answers to these and other problems may be revealed by examining the earthworks. Within a tinwork where many phases of activity can be ascertained, the relative dates of the different types can be established by survey, but absolute dating will only be possible using carefully collected environmental data and extensive archaeological excavation. Ample discussion of the capitalist organisation of the stannaries has been carried out (Lewis, G.R., 1908, 208-226 and Hatcher, J., 1973, 43-88), and the archaeological fieldwork may enable us to ascertain the level of impact this economic system may have had on the earthwork remains.
It was hoped that the collection of detailed archaeological information and its subsequent interpretation would enable the adoption of a fresh approach to the questions raised by the historians working in this field. In addition, further questions and hypotheses were expected to be raised as a result of this radically different approach which, in turn, could stimulate further discussion concerning this important aspect of south-western archaeology.
The Early Tin Industry 