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Summary

Disused leat, part of the Ausewell Wood smelting site. A substantial leat which supplied water to the wheelpits and dressing floors of Ausewell Mine and possibly the earlier iron smelting works (SX 77 SW 52).

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX77SW54
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1183558

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Constructed, Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD (Between) to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Amery, J. S., 1924, (Presidential Address) The Ashburton of past days: its manners, customs and inhabitants, 43-102 (Article in Serial). SDV315287.

Newman, P., 1998, Ausewell Wood Ore Processing and Smelting Complex (Report - Survey). SDV350775.

(10/12/1998) Disused leat, part of the Ausewell Wood smelting site. A substantial leat which supplied water to the wheelpits and dressing floors of Ausewell Mine and possibly the earlier iron smelting works (SX 77 SW 52).
The headweir was probably sites just downstream of the prominent bend in the River Dart at SX72857178 where a natural channel runs off the east side of the river forming an island of c. 160m long. Although no distinct remains of the leat channel survive further north than the southern tip of the island, there is a definite level step running along the foot of the slope adjacent to the channel, which meets the leat proper at the correct level just south of the island at SX72787162.
The leat itself forms an artery running the entire length of the site and beyond, where the base of the slope meets the level plane on which the mills are located. It is quite massive in comparison with leats serving similar purposes at other small mines and processing sites on Dartmoor, and clearly also served as a reservoir, probably to regulate the flow of water from the copious though unpredictable River Dart. It would also have allowed more than one wheel being reused on others. Although now filled with forest floor debris and loam, the channel still survives to a depth of 1m in places and the retaining bank is up to 6m thick. Substantial stretches of the bank are reinforced with a stone revetment, both on the interior and exterior and at least two points the channel has masonry lining on both interior sides, suggesting the positions of a bridge.
It is tempting to believe this very large leat would have been constructed in its present form to serve the four wheelpits during the later period of activity at Ausewell, during the 18th and 19th centuries. However, a substantial watercourse is clearly drawn in the exact same position on a map of 1605 (Amery, 1924).
The course of the leat is depicted on the OS 1:2500 1st edition map.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6088 - Survey of Ironworking Site in Ausewell Wood, Ashburton
• EDV6130 - Gradiometer Survey over part of Ausewell Wood Ore Proccessing and Smelting Complex (Ref: R-AUS99-2009)
• EDV6131 - Gradiometer Survey over part of Ausewell Wood Ore Processing and Smelting Complex (Ref: R-AUS00-3105)
• EDV7543 - Excavation and sampling of slag deposits in Ausewell Wood
• EDV8114 - Survey of the ore processing site in Ausewell Wood (Ref: AF1183450)

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