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Summary

Breakwater to the north of Cowhole Rock. It was originally built in 1846 as part of the sea defences for the South Devon Railway.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BREAKWATER (Built, XIX - 1846 AD to 1846 AD)

Full description

Historic England, 18/01/2018, Colonnade breakwater, and attached basin and slipway, to the south-west of Dawlish Railway Station (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV360709.

Historic England are currently considering whether a Certificate of Immunity from Lising should be given for the breakwater. They have completed an assessment setting out the factual details upon which they will base their recommendation.
History
The Plymouth, Devonport and Exeter Railway Company was formed in 1840 to establish a railway line between Exeter and Plymouth. In 1843 the name was changed to the South Devon Railway and Isambard Kingdom Brunel was appointed as engineer. In 1844 the South Devon Railway Act was passed, authorising the construction of a single-track, broad-gauge line.
The proposed route included a stretch along the coastline between Dawlish and Teignmouth, between the sea and sandstone cliffs, which required a series of tunnels to be cut through the protruding headland. The line had to negotiate several steep climbs and changes in gradient and Brunel’s plan to deal with this landscape was to adopt an experimental system of atmospheric propulsion. Known as the Atmospheric Railway, it was developed by Samuel Clegg and Jacob and Joseph Samuda on the Dalkey Railway in Ireland in 1844. It used a combination of partial vacuum and atmospheric pressure. Instead of a traditional locomotive engine, stationary engines were placed in pumping stations along the line, extracting air from vacuum pipes laid in the middle of the track. Brunel first used the system in 1844 on a five-mile stretch of the London to Croydon Railway. Despite criticism of the system from
various contemporary engineers he also recommended it for the South Devon Railway. The first section of the line opened in May 1846; however, the atmospheric vacuum pipes had not been completed, and initially, a steam locomotive was used. The first atmospheric train ran in 1847; although only between Exeter and Teignmouth. Ultimately the railway suffered from defects, including the deterioration of the leather seals on the vacuum pipes. In 1848 the atmospheric system was abandoned and the line was converted to conventional steam locomotion.
In 1876 South Devon amalgamated with the Great Western Railway, and in 1884 the section of track between Teignmouth Old Quay and Smugglers Lane was doubled. In 1892 the line was converted from broad to standard gauge. Between 1902 and 1905 the section between Smugglers Lane and Dawlish Railway Station was also made into a double line.
To the south of Kennaway Tunnel East Portal is a sandstone breakwater that protects the western end of the railway line south of Dawlish. It was constructed in 1846 as part of the original sea defences for the South Devon Railway. A granite buttress was added on the landward side in 1916 and, between 1918 and 1919, the seaward side was faced with granite and the spaces between its buttresses were infilled with masonry.
Details
A breakwater, built in 1846 by South Devon Railway; reinforced in the early C20.
MATERIAL: built of sandstone and faced with granite.
DESCRIPTION: the breakwater extends north-east from Cowhole Rock at Boat Cove to the south of Kennaway Tunnel East Portal. It is approximately 60m long and 3m high. It is faced with coursed and random granite blocks and the landward (north) side is battered. The top of the breakwater is accessed from stone steps at its western end, adjacent to Cowhole Rock. A metal-lamp stand stands at the easternmost end of the breakwater.

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

A 'Breakwater' is labelled and depicted.

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

A 'Breakwater' is labelled and depicted.

Garnsworthy, P., 2013, Brunel's Atmostpheric Railway, 48-9 (Monograph). SDV360708.

The breakwater is depicted at the right hand end of William Dawson's later 1840s sketch of the plan of the South Devon Railway between Langstone Sands and Kennaway Tunnel.

Pink, F., 2014-2015, South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment (Interpretation). SDV357736.

A 'Breakwater' is labelled and depicted to the north of Cowhole Rock on the First and Second Edition 25 inch Ordnance Survey maps, and on the Ordnance Survey Master Map.

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

A 'Breakwater' is labelled and depicted.

Historic England, 2018, Colonnade Breakwater and Boat Cove Breakwater, Dawlish, Devon (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV361267.

Notification that following a recommendation from Historic England, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has decided not to list the breakwaters but is minded to issue a Certificate of Immunity from Listing (COI).
Colonnade and Boat Cove Breakwaters are two of a series of sea defences built as part of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s designs for the South Devon Railway and are depicted in William Dawson’s 1840s illustrations of Brunel's Atmospheric Railway. They date to a time identified as a nationally-pioneering period of railway construction. However, in the context of maritime structures these are not particularly early examples of breakwaters, nor do they demonstrate strong design or engineering interest.
The breakwaters were built to protect the railway line from the force of the sea's waves. However, they have each required significant modifications in the early C20 in order to upgrade them as sea defences. Boat Cove Breakwater has been refaced in granite on its seaward side, and buttresses have been added to the shoreward side to reinforce the structure. Colonnade Breakwater has been entirely refaced in granite, and the attached basin walls have also been subject to piecemeal repairs. The extent of these modifications are such that they have undermined the legibility of the original form and character of both breakwaters.
The breakwaters originally formed a group with other contemporary railway structures along Dawlish seafront,
including a section of sea wall, a portal to a railway tunnel, and a viaduct. These have all either been rebuilt or heavily altered over the years, and as a group with the breakwaters they no longer survive in their historic form or reflect Brunel’s original design for this grouping.
The breakwaters have strong local historic interest as features associated with this early railway which was established by Brunel, and in reflecting the continuing improvements made on this prominent coastal railway route. However, given the level of alteration which has occurred in the first half of the C20 and their modest level of design interest, they do not demonstrate sufficient special architectural or historic interest to merit listing.
CONCLUSION
After examining all the records and other relevant information and having carefully considered the architectural and historic interest of this case, the criteria for listing are not fulfilled. It is recommended that Certificates of Immunity from Listing should be issued for Boat Cove Breakwater and Colonnade Breakwater and the attached basin walls.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
Certificates of Immunity from Listing should be issued for Boat Cove Breakwater and Colonnade Breakwater and the attached basin walls for the following principal reasons:
See report for further details.

Historic England, 2018, Colonnade Breakwater and Boat Cove Breakwater, Dawlish, Devon (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV361299.

Confirmation that the breakwaters have been issued with a Certificate of Immunity (COI) from listing for five years.

Historic England, 2018, Colonnade Breakwater and Boat Cove Breakwater, Near Marine Parade, Dawlish (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV360676.

Historic England received an application to consider Colonnade Breakwater and Boat Cove Breakwater, near Marine Parade for a Certificate of Immunity from listing.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV325644	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV357601	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2015. MasterMap. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital. [Mapped feature: #70674 ]
SDV357736	Interpretation: Pink, F.. 2014-2015. South Devon Coast Rapid Coastal Zone Assessment Survey Desk-Based Assessment. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV360676	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Historic England. 2018. Colonnade Breakwater and Boat Cove Breakwater, Near Marine Parade, Dawlish. Certificate of Immunity. Digital.
SDV360708	Monograph: Garnsworthy, P.. 2013. Brunel's Atmostpheric Railway. Brunel's Atmostpheric Railway. Paperback Volume. 48-9.
SDV360709	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Historic England. 18/01/2018. Colonnade breakwater, and attached basin and slipway, to the south-west of Dawlish Railway Station. Notification of Completion of Assessment. Digital.
SDV361267	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Historic England. 2018. Colonnade Breakwater and Boat Cove Breakwater, Dawlish, Devon. Notification of Recommendation to issue a Certificate of Immunity. Digital.
SDV361299	List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest: Historic England. 2018. Colonnade Breakwater and Boat Cove Breakwater, Dawlish, Devon. Notification of Certificate of Immunity. Digital.

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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