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Summary

Leats of probable post-medieval to 20th century construction are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 to the late 20th century as earthworks up to circa 1.5km long, extending from ponds south of Lee Moor House in the east to Shaugh China Clay Works Moor in the west. A large area of the leats has been destroyed by the late 20th century expansion of the Shaugh China Clay Works.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (XIX to Mid 20th Century - 1801 AD to 1966 AD (Between))

Full description

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

The visible earthworks correspond in part with depicted leats and drains.

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

The visible earthworks correspond in part with depicted leats and drains.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, RAF/106G/UK/1190 RP 3258-3259 27-FEB-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363067.

Curvilinear ditches are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, RAF/106G/UK/1190 RS 4256-4257 27-FEB-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363067.

Curvilinear ditches are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223, RAF/3G/TUD/UK/223 Vp2 5143-5144 12-JUL-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV352279.

Curvilinear ditches are visible.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, Devon County Council RAF/CPE/UK/1890 2296-2297 10-DEC-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Curvilinear ditches are visible.

Ordnance Survey, 1963-1996, 1963-1996 National Grid OS Metric (Cartographic). SDV350058.

The visible earthworks correspond in part with depicted leats.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5663 01-JUN-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

Curvilinear ditches are visible surviving west and east of the clay pit.

NERC, 2013, LiDAR DTM data (1m resolution) Tellus: South Devon to Dartmoor, LIDAR, SX5563-SX5763 Tellus DTM 01-JUL-2013 to 31-AUG-2013 (Cartographic). SDV361514.

Curvilinear ditches are identifiable surviving west and east of the clay pit.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2019-2020, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (AI&M, formerly NMP) (Interpretation). SDV362982.

At least 7 sections of curvilinear ditch circa 1 to 2.5m wide are visible as earthworks on aerial photographs of 1946 extending east across Shaugh Moor for up to circa 1.5km from ponds south of Lee Moor House to Shaugh China Clay Works.
The ditches are interpreted as the remains of leats intended to supply the China Clay Works with water from the ponds at Lee Moor House, which in turn were supplied by leats from Tory Brook to the east.
Only the easternmost ditch and two sections of drain at SX56376351 and SX55666362 correspond with ditches depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25inch map.
Additional sections of leat are depicted on the Ordnance Survey Second Edition 25inch map connecting the disparate sections of drain with the leats, to create a network across Shaugh Moor, draining to the west of the clay works.
The leats depicted on the 1953-1969 National Grid Ordnance Survey A edition Imperial map correspond most closely with the visible earthworks, although several auxiliary leats are not depicted.
This supports the interpretation that the leats from Lee Moor House to Shaugh Moor originated in the later 19th-century but were elaborated into the second half of the 20th century as the China clay works expanded.
The later 20th century expansion of the clay works destroyed significant sections of the leats between circa SX55906350 to 56836350.
To the west and east of the clay pit sections of leat remain identifiable as earthworks on digital images derived from aerial photographs of 2002 onwards and visualisations derived from lidar data captured in 2013.
A leat cuts through the hut circle enclosure MDV2450
The visible earthworks include leats previously recorded as MDV43397 and MDV43398.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8098 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey, Area 2, Avon Valley to Plymouth (Ref: ACD2040)

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