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Summary

The Lee Moor Tramway built, to carry china clay from Colwich Town Works to Cattewater Quay, is depicted on the Ordnance Survey First Edition 25inch map. The route of the tramway is identifiable as an earthwork, disused and impassable in parts, on aerial photographs of the 1940s.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX55NW/37

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TRAMWAY (XIX to Mid 20th Century - 1854 AD (Between) to 1947 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV165157.

Harris, h. /industrial archaeology of dartmoor/(1968)92-94.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV165158.

Minchinton, w. /industrial archaeology in devon/(1976)26.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV165159.

Welch, e. /tda/100(1968)121-122 map/cann quarry canal and railway.

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV165160.

Aph=raf 106g/uk 1190/4187-4188(24/2/1946).

Untitled Source (Aerial Photograph). SDV165161.

Aph=raf 106g/uk 1190/4208-4210(24/2/1946).

Welch, E., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV29065.

Lee moor tramway, 4ft 6in gauge, built to carry china clay from colwich town works (sx58006183) to cattewater quay (sx494-534-). Opened initially in 1854, but closed for alterations and improvements until 1858. From 1899 to 1947, 3 different forms of traction worked together: steam, gravity and horses. Dismantled 1961 but still traceable (os citing harris + minchinton). In 1854, a branch of the cann quarry railway was constructed from a point just south of plym bridge to the lee moor china clay deposits. The line incorporated an inclined plane. Although soon after its construction, the portion of the cann quarry line which continued northwards to cann quarry was abandoned. The lee moor line continued in existence until 1960 (welch).

RCHM APP 1985, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV165155.

Visible on 1946 raf ap (rchm app 1985).

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

The Lee Moor Tramway is depicted.

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/106G/UK/1190, RAF/106G/UK/1190 RP 3255-3256 27-FEB-1946 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363067.

The tramway is visible as a trackbed, embanked in places.

Royal Air Force, 1948, RAF/CPE/UK/2494, RAF/CPE/UK/2494 RS 4064-4065 11-MAR-1948 (Aerial Photograph). SDV361461.

The tramway is visible as a trackbed, embanked in places.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX55NW33 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV165156.

Dismantled Tramway (NAT). (OS 6" 1968)
The 4ft 6in gauge Lee Moor Tramway was built to carry china clay from Cholwich Town works to Cattewater Quay. Opened in 1854, it closed almost immediately and after some alterations and improvements finally re-opened in 1858. From 1899 to 1947 it had three different forms of traction working together. 1) Being operated by steam between two cable-operated inclines 2) by gravity on the inclines and 3) by horses at the bottom on the final stage to the quay. The line was dismantled in 1961 but much of the track can be traced. (Industrial Archaeology of Dartmoor 1968 92-4 Harris, H.; Industrial Archaeology in Devon 1976, 26 Minchinton, W.)
Illustration card missing.

Bluesky International Ltd/Getmapping PLC, 1999-2017, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SX5561 01-JUN-2002 (Aerial Photograph). SDV363087.

The north-eastern extent of the tramway on Lee Moor has been destroyed by the expansion of china clay quarries.

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.

The north-easternmost 870m of the tramway, including an embankment over the combe of the Tory Brook is visible on aerial photographs of 1946as a curvilinear embanked level trackbed up to circa 5m wide, from circa SX58056196 to circa SX57396198, north-east of Chapel Cottages, Lee Moor, Shaugh Prior, where it is impassable, obstructed by a large dump of spoil. West of this point, the route of the tramway appears to have been used as a road or track in the 1940s.
A spur to the main tramway is also visible on 1940s aerial photographs, diverging from the main tramway at circa SX56906156, south of Blackalder Tor, continuing to the north-west for circa 740m to claypits at Wotter.
Much of the north-eastern extent of the tramway on Lee Moor has been destroyed by the expansion of quarries associated with Lee Moor Clay Works.

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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