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Summary

Weir on the River Dart at the head of a leat to Kilbury Mill. The weir was constructed in the second half of the 19th century, the leat it fed supplementing and then replacing an earlier leat off the River Mardle. Comparison between the first and second edition Ordnance Survey maps shows that the weir was significantly rebuilt and enlarged with a series of steps in the late 19th-early 20th century.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WEIR (Built, XIX - 1840 AD to 1887 AD (Between))

Full description

Passmore, A., 01/10/2004, Kilbury Weir (Plan - sketch). SDV357095.

Sketch plan of weir.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Kilbury Weir marked at the head of a leat to Kilbury Mill. A sluice is marked at the entrance to the leat and a Salmon Trough is shown towards the eastern side of the weir.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Kilbury Weir marked. Comparison with the first edition map shows the weir to have been significantly enlarged with a series of steps. Across the eastern end of the top three steps a Salmon Trough is shown. Several sluices (Sl) are shown on the leat.

Passmore, A., 2004, Kilbury Weir, 5005_5, 6, 14 (Ground Photograph). SDV357273.

Slides showing views downstream from right bank, across weir showing salmon leap and undermined bank wall, and upsream in wet conditions.

Exeter Archaeology, 2005, An Archaeological Survey of Weirs in the River Dart Catchment. Draft Report, 5, 6, 7, Appendix 1: Ex. Arch. No. 5 (Report - Survey). SDV356906.

Kilbury Weir. Ex. Arch. No. 5. Environment Agency No. 5. Watercourse: River Dart.
Historic Function: Served Kilbury Paper Mill
The leat is a 19th century construction supplementing and subsequently replacing an earlier leat serving Kilbury Paper Mill.
The weir is not depicted on the Buckfastleigh Tithe Map of the 1840s but is shown on the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1887 as a small weir. At the time of the second edition map in 1904 the mill had been almost completely rebuilt and enlarged and correspondingly the weir was rebuilt in the form surviving today.
The weir is at a right angle to the river with the leat on the right bank. It comprises a series of concrete steps, the upper step being at a right angle to the river. The other seven steps are of varying shapes all angled downriver. The upper four steps incorporate rounded concrete capping at the lower faces. From the first to third steps is a salmon leap constructed of large dressed granite blocks on brick (?and stone walling). The upper step has been raised. On step one the concrete has been laid over limestone masonry which may represent the 19th century weir.
The sluice has two metal gates each with separate winding mechanisms built into a wall forming the right bank of the river and the side walls of the leat.
The least and sluice are in good working condition but the weir is in an average condition. Urgent consolidation of the salmon leap, the concrete on step one and the wall on the right bank of the river is required.
The 'Salmon Trough' is constructed of large granite blocks. The weir was identified as a candidate for monitoring after heavy rainfall; damage to the capping on the concrete steps is presumed to have been caused by fast flowing water and/or debris.

Ordnance Survey, 2014, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV355681.

Kilbury Weir marked.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6538 - Archaeological Survey of Weirs in the River Dart Catchment

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