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Summary

Stone-lined and stone-faced drain running northwest-southeast under the Princetown Branch track bed. Stone-lined and stone-faced drain running northwest-southeast under the cart track running parallel to the lower side of the Princetown Branch track bed (which is c.3m higher up to northwest).

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• DRAIN (Constructed, XVIII to XIX - 1800 AD (Between) to 1899 AD (Between))

Full description

Wakeham, C., 2016, Report on an Audit of Archaeological Features and Structures Relating to Railways and Tramways on Dartmoor Phase 1, DR+T_GWRP_135, 136 (Report - Assessment). SDV360397.

[DR+T_GWRP_135] Drain at SX 54966 67856. Stone-lined and stone-faced drain running northwest-southeast under the Princetown Branch track bed. The interior of the drain is 0.65m wide and it is over 0.47m high with a stony earthen floor. The interior of the drain is part blocked 1.02m from its northwest end by what appears to be a thick service pipe cutting across (see photograph DR+TGWRP_135_b). The main, covered, section of the drain is perhaps c.5.5m in length. It has short, sloped wing walls on its higher (northwest) side which extend the length of the drain a further c.1m in that direction. The splay of the wing walls is c.1.8m. The drain appears to convey rainwater run-off on to another downslope (DR+T_GWRP_136) via a stone-lined channel.
The lower end of the drain is completely overgrown with brambles, bracken, nettles and other vegetation.
[DR+T_GWRP_136] Drain at SX 54968 67850. Stone-lined and stone-faced drain running northwest-southeast under the cart track (DR+T_GWRP_131) running parallel to the lower side of the Princetown Branch track bed (which is c.3m higher up to northwest). The exterior is composed largely of granite and bonded with a lime mortar with large inclusions. It has a granite and slate stone interior, measuring (at its lower opening) 0.58m wide and c.1m high. The floor is buried in leaves and mulch. The main, covered, section of the drain is c.7.2m in length. It has short (0.9m tall at higher end), sloped wing walls on its lower (southeast) side which extend the length of the drain a further c.1.1m in that direction. The outermost splay of the wing walls is c.2.1m. The higher side of the drain is engulfed in vegetation, so it is unclear if there were wing walls at this end as well. The drain has parapets above both openings. The northwest parapet measures c.0.95m in length, 0.4m in width, 0.45m in height on its inner side and c.1.2m on its outer side (to the floor of the drain). The southeast parapet measures 1.63m in length, 0.4m in width, 0.33m in height on its inner side and c.2.2m on its outer side (to the floor of the drain). The lower parapet has what appears to be a reused tramway sett in its top course. It has two holes set c.10cm apart and a rusty rectangular stain around them. There appears to be a stone-lined channel leading back from the higher side of the drain to another (DR+T_GWRP_135) under the railway track bed.
Most of what can be seen of the drain is in good condition, although some of the stonework on the lower parapet is starting to give way. The higher end of the drain is completely overgrown with brambles, bracken, nettles and other vegetation.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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