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Summary

Water was supplied to Assycombe Farmhouse via a shallow leat from the Assacombe Brook about 880 metres up the valley. The leat is marked on a map of 1796 and on the Tithe Map. It is now dry and much of its former course is now covered by conifers making it difficult to trace.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1017981: Stone alignment, hut circle settlement, medieval long house and post-medieval farmstead at Assycombe

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Royal Air Force, 1946 - 1949, Royal Air Force Aerial Photographs (Aerial Photograph). SDV342938.

The course of the leat is just visible on the aerial photography.

Haynes, R. G., 1966-1969, Ruined Sites on Dartmoor, 1 (Un-published). SDV150434.

Fugro-BKS, 2013, Fernworthy Forest LiDAR survey (Cartographic). SDV351778.

Section of this leat shows clearly on the LiDAR, although the southern section is not at all clear.

Newman, P., 2013, Fernworthy Forest Sites Survey (Un-published). SDV351708.

Newman , P., 2013, The Archaeology of Fernworthy Forest, Dartmoor, Devon, 48-9 (Report - Survey). SDV351784.

Water was supplied to the house via a shallow leat, which diverted water from Assacombe Brook approximately 880m up the valley. The leat is marked on the map of 1796 and the Tithe Map of 1839 but much of its course runs through areas now covered by conifers making it very difficult to trace outside the clearing. However, its slight earthwork is visible approaching the corner of the garden plot and extending back to the edge of the plantation.
The earthwork has become spread and is very shallow through silting. On the northern side of the house a channel runs down the slope in the direction of the brook and probably provided a route for the leat water after passing the house. Unfortunately, the precise course of the leat around the house and yards is unclear. The leat may be traced further south of the farm across a clearing containing two hut circles then back into the conifers. At this point the leat crosses the outer enclosure wall of Durehole where the earthwork is slightly clearer, before continuing south into an impenetrable area of fallen conifers.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6203 - Archaeological Survey of Fernworthy Forest
• EDV7389 - Fernworthy Forest condition survey 1996
• EDV7410 - Fernworthy Forest condition survey 1992

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