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Summary

King’s Gutter Leat runs between SX62675989 in Harford and SX63665727 in Cornwood. Surveyed and recorded in the Dartmoor Trust Leats Project.

Location

Protected Status

• SHINE: Remains of a late 19th century or earlier quarry, as well as section of the King's Gutter Leat in Longtimber Wood
• SHINE: Walling and earthworks of Bronze Age hut circles and cairns, along with cultivation ridges and a medieval or later sub-rectangular enclosure on Henlake Down

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65NW/91
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (XVIII - 1750 AD to 1799 AD)

Full description

1840, Tithe Map (Cartographic). SDV339770.

The Tithe Map (1938) shows the leat, and in the Apportionment there are two fields ‘Higher Gutter Field’ (Number 251 on plan) and ‘Lower Gutter Field’ (252 on plan).

Hankin, C. F., 1970 - 1979, King's Gutter Leat (Worksheet). SDV144734.

South of the Harford-Cornwood road near Hall Farm, several natural water-courses come together near a point marked by "King's Barn". A man-made water-course or "gutter" has been cut across fields in a southerly direction and continues for approximately 3.0 kilometres to farmland in Cornwood parish above Ivybridge (Dinnaton and Langham Farms). Only about 0.4 kilometres of the gutter is in Harford parish; it crosses into Cornwood at SX63045900.
The gutter was well made; about 0.75 meters wide but varying in width along its course, carefully conducted under stone walls by stone lined conduits. It drops around 46 meters in level from start to finish. The water-course was in use until the beginning of the 20th century; permission was given to one land occupier to fill in the gutter across one field in its higher section and so the water no longer flows.
The history of King’s Gutter water course has not been discovered. All the land through which it flowed was owned by the Rogers family of Blachford in Cornwood from the 18th century to the 20th century. It is possible that it was an agricultural improvement of the late 18th century. The name ‘King’ has been associated with that part of Harford parish in which the gutter starts (Thomas Kyng, Harford Lay Subsidy, 1332) ‘King’s Barn’, ‘King’s Wood’ etc.

Turton, S. D., 1993, Archaeological Assessment of South West Water Watercombe to Broomhill Water Main, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV144735.

Cut by route of South West Water pipeline at SX63055900.

Reed, S. J., 1994, Archaeological Recording of South West Water Watercombe to Broomhill Water Main, 2 (Report - Survey). SDV144736.

Granite construction, 1.2 meters deep at point of breaching.

Marchand, J., 2003, Archaeology within Longtimber and Pithill Woods, 10 (Report - Survey). SDV365058.

King’s Gutter is a leat cut in 1818 to be bring water to fields north-west of Ivybridge, belonging to the Rogers of Blatchford Manor. The name King comes from the owner of some of the land through which it flowed. The cutting of the leat obviously involved considerable work, it is stone lined in some places, in others it runs along some substantial stone walls on its lower side. Its upper side is generally formed by the slope of the hill. In some sections it is difficult to determine whether it pre or post-dates the walls and its course has been lost in some short stretches, in particular alongside the quarry at the western edge of the woods.
King’s Gutter requires some maintenance work to improve it's condition. The first section which enters Pithill Woods is full of undergrowth (and fly tipping) which should be removed. Along its long route there are sections of the wall which need stabilising and stone replacing. Where there are stiles, the walls seem to offer an easier alternative of access which has led to stone displacement. The leat is very waterlogged in places and some drainage work would be beneficial.

Dartmoor Trust and Dartmoor National Park Authority, 2010, Dartmoor Trust Leats Project 2009-2010 (Report - Survey). SDV347530.

King’s Gutter Leat surveyed and recorded running between SX727599 - SX633567. (Erme). Dry leat. Other details: T:\Dartmoor Leats Survey / Q:\MAPDATA\HISTORIC\LeatsProject. Map object based on this Source.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Map object based on this Source.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7383 - Watching brief on SWW Watercombe to Broomhill water main (Ref: 94.18)
• EDV8840 - Survey of archaeological features in Longtimber and Pithill Woods

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