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Summary

The aqueduct was built in the late 18th or early 19th century to serve a woollen mill, bringing water from the River Erme. The mill, which subsequently became a paper mill, has been demolished but the remains of the wheel house survive and are still connected to the aqueduct. They now stand within a landscaped area in a residential development.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1420955: Ivybridge Aqueduct, and remains of the mill wheel house

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65NW/104/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• AQUEDUCT (Built, XVIII to XIX - 1750 AD to 1850 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV160262.

Doe/hhr:ivybridge/(-/4/1985)/addition to provisional list.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV160263.

Brooks, c. /dbg newsletter/5(1988)3/secretary's report.

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV335273.

Aqueduct. Late c18 or early c19 built to serve john berry's woollen mill, latter known as the lower mill after 1849 when it became a paper mill; in c 1927 the aqueduct served an electricity generating plant in part of the old mill building, and finally went out of use in c 1940. Supply from river erme to north east with widening open leat and raised channel leading to 12 arch aqueduct serving an over-shot wheel house forming part of the mill (wheel and mill taken down). Overflow channel to river alongside aqueduct an east side served by 3 sluices. Coursed squared granite rubble with red brick, round arched openings with later brick reopenings and blockway of two arches; red brick walls of water channel rebuilt 1896 (cast-iron date over arch) with dentil coping; older brick channel wall at north east and with recessed panels and plain coping partly cement rendered. Narrow arched opening to southern sluice retains tile streps and shrot to overflow channel. Remains of mill wheelhouse of slate random rubble with squared granite dressings rendered interior with stopped wheel pit; plain red brick channel walls; small, blocked arched opening on east side. Tail-race from wheelhouse now filled-in (doe).

English Heritage, 20/06/2014, Ivybridge Aqueduct (Correspondence). SDV356797.

English Heritage have been asked to look at Ivybridge Aqueduct for listing. The aqueduct was placed on a provisional list in 1985 but was never given statutory designation. The initial assessment is now complete.
History
The Ivybridge Aqueduct was constructed in the late C18 or early C19 to serve John Berry's Woollen Mill, bringing water from the River Erme, which flows from the north-east. The aqueduct continued to supply water when the mill became a paper mill in 1849, becoming known as the Lower Mill. Circa 1927, an electricity generating plant in part of the old mill was served by the aqueduct; it finally fell out of use circa 1940. The mill has been demolished, but the remains of the wheel house are in situ, and still
connected with the aqueduct. The aqueduct has undergone substantial repairs and renewals during the course of its history. The aqueduct now stands within a landscaped area in a residential development.
Details Aqueduct, constructed in the late C18 or early C19, to serve a mill.
MATERIALS: coursed squared granite rubble with red brick and some concrete render.
PLAN: 12 arches, on a north/south alignment, serving an overshot wheel house, formerly part of the mill (now demolished). An overflow channel alongside the aqueduct on the east side is served by three sluices (only one of which is still in operation). At the south end, the aqueduct turns an angle to the south-west, towards the wheel house. The Ivybridge AQUEDUCT consists of 12 round-headed arches, carrying a water channel to the wheel house of the former mill. The walls and arches were partly rebuilt in red brick in 1896, as evidenced by the cast-iron date over an arch. At the same time, a dentil coping of rounded bricks was added. There are recessed panels above the arches. A substantial part of the west side, and the north-east part of the aqueduct, are rendered with concrete. To the south end, in the angle, a narrow arch, with a wider arch at the south end, carrying the channel over the roadway towards the wheel house. The remains of the MILL WHEEL HOUSE are in a ruinous condition. The walls, of slate random rubble, with squared granite and brick dressings, only partly remain; iron bars have been inserted to support the structure. Arched openings remain in the walls. The wheelpit is
stopped, the wheel having been removed. A low wall

Adams, J. A., 2000, Waterside House, Ivybridge (Correspondence). SDV347185.

Deteriorating condition. Invasive plants are damaging the structure. The water channel is silted, with barge-boards rotting.

English Heritage, 2014, Ivybridge Aqueduct, and remains of the mill wheel house, Ivybridge, South Hams, Devon (Correspondence). SDV359357.

Notification that Ivybridge Aqueduct, and remains of the mill wheel house has been added to the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

Ivybridge Aqueduct, and remains of the mill wheel house.
Summary of Building
Aqueduct and remains of the wheel house, a late C18 or early C19 structure, built to serve a woollen mill.
Reasons for Designation
The Ivybridge Aqueduct, and remains of the wheel house, a late C18 or early C19 structure built to serve a woollen mill, is recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: the aqueduct, built to serve a mill, originally a woollen mill, stands as a striking physical reminder of an aspect of Ivybridge's industrial history; * Date: as a structure pre-dating 1840; * Design interest: as a substantially built and striking aqueduct, with an element of design consideration in the recessed panels above the arches, and the late C19 dentil coping; * Intactness: the structure remains largely intact, demonstrating its former use as part of a wider water-management system; the remains of the wheel house, though fragmentary, contribute to the legibility of the site.
History
The Ivybridge Aqueduct was constructed in the late C18 or early C19 to serve John Berry's Woollen Mill, bringing water from the River Erme, which flows from the north-east. The aqueduct continued to supply water when the mill became a paper mill in 1849, becoming known as the Lower Mill. Circa 1927, an electricity generating plant in part of the old mill was served by the aqueduct; it finally fell out of use c1940.
The mill has been demolished, but the remains of the wheel house are in situ, and still connected with the aqueduct. The aqueduct has undergone substantial repairs and renewals during the course of its history. The aqueduct now stands within a landscaped area in a residential development.
Details
Aqueduct and remains of a mill wheel house, constructed in the late C18 or early C19, to serve a woollen mill.
MATERIALS: coursed squared granite rubble with red brick and some cement render.
PLAN: 12 arches, on a north/south alignment, serving an overshot wheel house, formerly part of the mill (now demolished). An overflow channel alongside the aqueduct on the east side is served by three sluices (only one of which is still in operation). At the south end, the aqueduct turns an angle to the south-west, towards the wheel house.
The Ivybridge AQUEDUCT consists of 12 round-headed arches, carrying a water channel to the wheel house of the former mill. The walls and arches were partly rebuilt in red brick in 1896, as evidenced by the cast-iron date over an arch. At the same time, a dentil coping of rounded bricks was added; this is incomplete. There are recessed panels above the arches. A substantial part of the west side, and the north-east part of the aqueduct, are rendered with cement. To the south end, in the angle, a narrow arch, with a wider arch at the south end, carrying the channel over the roadway towards the wheel house.
The remains of the MILL WHEEL HOUSE are in a ruinous condition. The walls, of slate random rubble, with squared granite and brick dressings, only partly remain; iron bars have been inserted to support the structure. Arched openings remain in the walls. The wheelpit is stopped, the wheel having been removed. A low wall with railing has been erected surrounding the north-western part of the wheelpit.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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