See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Medieval or later water channel which took water from the Steeperton Brook to the floodplain on the right bank of the River Taw. Archaeological field surveys conducted in 1993 and 2003 found the channel extended on the right bank of Steeperton Brook, 350m above its confluence with River Taw. At this point it measures around 1.5m wide and up to 1.0m deep. Material from the channel has been deposited on the downslope side to form a stoney bank on average 2.0m wide and 1.0m high. Further along its course, as it reaches the floodplain, the channel broadens to between 7.5 and 12.0m with a depth of up to 2.0m. The feature ends as a shallow, 0.5m deep, narrow, 1.6m wide channel on the floodplain 200m east of the River Taw. It is thought this feature probably served the tin workings on the River Taw. It may have supplied the workings with water or represents a hushing channel, designed to remove overburden and expose the underlying bedrock. It is also possible that it was constructed as some form of relief channel, diverting any excess water from Steeperton Brook around the Taw workings in times of flood.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX68NW99
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 967412

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Constructed, Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))
• WATER CHANNEL (Constructed, Early Medieval to Early 20th Century - 1066 AD (Between) to 1901 AD (Between))

Full description

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, The Devon Tin Industry 1450-1750: An archaeological and historical survey, 342, 344 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV351371.

Royal Commission for the Historical Monuments of England, 1987-1993, Duchy Farms Project Survey Visit, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV350839.

(02/09/1993) SX 62128948 to SX 62049025. A massive channel formerly taking water from the Steeperton Brook to the floodplain on the right bank of the River Taw. The channel starts at SX 62128948 on the right bank of Steeperton Brook 350m above its confluence with River Taw. At this point it measures around 1.5m wide and up to 1.0m deep. Material from the channel has been deposited on the downslope side to form a stoney bank on average 2.0m wide and 1.0m high. The channel cuts deeply into the hillside as it traverses the western flank of Metheral Hill leaving a steep scarp up to 3.5m high on its eastern side. Further along its course, as it reaches the floodplain, the channel broadens to between 7.5 and 12.0m with a depth of up to 2.0m. Surprisingly the feature ends as a shallow, 0.5m deep, narrow, 1.6m wide, channel on the floodplain 200m east of the River Taw.
The function of this feature is uncertain though it probably served the tin workings on the Taw in one form or another. It may have been constructed to supply the workings with water or it might represent a hushing channel, designed to remove overburden and expose the underlying bedrock. It is also possible that it was constructed as some form of relief channel, diverting any excess water from Steeperton Brook around the Taw workings in times of flood.
Further information concerning this feature might be contained in documentary references, dating from 1487 to 1594, to workings on the Taw that are cited by Greeves (1981).
At SX 62049016 are the remains of a boulder dam across the channel. It survives as a line of part buried boulders up to 0.6m high. There is no distinct enlargement of the channel to accommodate a reservoir. Several small leats lead away from the feature presumably to feed the extensive streamworks on the Taw.

Probert, S. A. J. + Newman, P., 2003-2004, Measured survey North Dartmoor Military Range Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey, S. Probert (Report - Survey). SDV350801.

(22/10/2003) This feature remains as described inn 1993.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8423 - Duchy Farms Project
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV8409 - Dartmoor Royal Forest Project
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8695 - Survey of Okehampton North Dartmoor Military Range

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.