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Summary

The Culm Valley Light Railway was opened in 1876, closed to passenger service in 1963 but subsequently used for milk transport. The line follows the river and can still be traced from Willand to its terminus at Hemyock. Earthwork remains survive and are visible in parts on aerial photographs taken from the 1940s onwards and on images derived from LiDAR data captured in 2005.

Location

Protected Status

• Local List: Route and Remains of Former Culm Valley Railway
• SHINE: Earthworks and ruins of World War II Military site in former parkland and Mill pond and weir/ mill leat to C18th Coldharbour Mill and section of Culm Valley Light Railway
• SHINE: Earthworks and ruins of World War II Military site in former parkland and Mill pond and weir/ mill leat to C18th Coldharbour Mill and section of Culm Valley Light Railway

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 188177
• Old DCC SMR Ref: ST01SE/5
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• RAILWAY (XIX to Late 20th Century - 1876 AD to 1975 AD)

Full description

National Monuments Record, Untitled Source, ST01SE12 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV1181.

Closed in 1975 (NMR).

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

'G.W.R. Culm Valley Branch' is marked.
Map object based on this source.

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

'G.W.R. Culm Valley Branch' is marked. Map object also based on this source.

Minchinton, W. E., 1976, Industrial Archaeology in Devon, 8 (Monograph). SDV7016.

The Culm Valley Light Railway ST05001168 to ST100013. Opened in 1876, the line was closed to passenger service in 1963 but is still used for milk transport. The line follows the river and can still be traced from Tiverton to its terminus at Hemyock.

Thomas, D. St. J., 1981, A Regional History of Railways of Great Britain, 47 (Monograph). SDV168.

The Culm Valley Railway opened 29/5/1876. Passenger trains were withdrawn 9/9/1963 but milk traffic from the creamery at the terminus continued until October 1975.

Gollop, J., 1988, The Culm Valley Light Railway, 84-88 (Article in Monograph). SDV337810.

Hollinrake, C. + Hollinrake, N., 2000, An Archaeological and Historical Desk Top Survey of Proposed Development Land at Willand, 16 (Report - Assessment). SDV50299.

Environment Agency, 2005-2012, LiDAR DTM data JPEG image (1m resolution), LIDAR ST0612 Environment Agency DTM 19-DEC-2005 (Cartographic). SDV357033.

A curvilinear earthwork bank is visible at ST0795112986.

Next Perspectives, 2006, Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph, Next Perspectives PGA Imagery ST0712 03-JUN-2006 (Aerial Photograph). SDV351300.

A dark curvilinear cropmark is visible at ST0781512938.

Mid Devon District Council, 2014, Mid Devon Local List Register of Heritage Assets - East, Route and Remains of Former Culm Valley Light Railway, Willand, Uffculme, Culmstock, Hemyock (Local List - Register of Heritage Assets). SDV356891.

Route and Remains of Former Culm Valley Light Railway, Willand, Uffculme, Culmstock, Hemyock.
Description: The railway played a significant part in the recent social history of the local area, and is the subject of numerous books/websites. It was built by private local enterprise in the 1870s and was closed to passengers in 1963 but remaining running to Hemyock milk factory until 1975.

Grid Reference: 304647/111285
Source: Blackdown Hills AONB Partnership

Mid Devon District Council, 2014, Register of Heritage Assets, Route and Remains of Former Culm Valley Railway (Local List - Register of Heritage Assets). SDV356889.

Route and Remains of Former Culm Valley Railway.
Importance: Remains of the route the railway followed.

Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R., 2014-2015, East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project (Interpretation). SDV356883.

The route of the railway is visible as a curvilinear earthwork bank or ditch on aerial photographs taken during the 1940s and as partial earthworks or cropmarks on later aerial photographs and on images derived from lidar data captured in 2005. Substantial earthworks appear to have survived in 2005 for a length of circa 140 metres at approximately ST0795112986. The railway is depicted on historic mapping so the remains have not been transcribed.

Ordnance Survey, 2022, Mastermap 2022 (Cartographic). SDV364674.

Sections of the route of the former railway are marked as 'Dismantled Railway'. Map object based partly on this source.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV1181	National Monuments Record Database: National Monuments Record. National Monuments Record. ST01SE12.
SDV168	Monograph: Thomas, D. St. J.. 1981. A Regional History of Railways of Great Britain. A Regional History of Railways of Great Britain. 1. Unknown. 47.
SDV325644	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1904 - 1906. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV336179	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital).
SDV337810	Article in Monograph: Gollop, J.. 1988. The Culm Valley Light Railway. Uffculme: A Culm Valley Parish. A5 Paperback. 84-88.
SDV351300	Aerial Photograph: Next Perspectives. 2006. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photograph. Pan Government Agreement Aerial Photographs. Digital. Next Perspectives PGA Imagery ST0712 03-JUN-2006.
SDV356883	Interpretation: Hegarty, C. + Knight, S. + Sims, R.. 2014-2015. East and Mid Devon River Catchments National Mapping Programme Project. AC Archaeology Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV356889	Local List - Register of Heritage Assets: Mid Devon District Council. 2014. Register of Heritage Assets. Mid Devon District Council. Digital. Route and Remains of Former Culm Valley Railway.
SDV356891	Local List - Register of Heritage Assets: Mid Devon District Council. 2014. Mid Devon Local List Register of Heritage Assets - East. Mid Devon District Council. Digital. Route and Remains of Former Culm Valley Light Railway, Willand, Uffculme, Culmstock, Hemyock.
SDV357033	Cartographic: Environment Agency. 2005-2012. LiDAR DTM data JPEG image (1m resolution). Environment Agency LiDAR data. Digital. LIDAR ST0612 Environment Agency DTM 19-DEC-2005.
SDV364674	Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 2022. Mastermap 2022. Ordnance Survey Digital Mapping. Digital.
SDV50299	Report - Assessment: Hollinrake, C. + Hollinrake, N.. 2000. An Archaeological and Historical Desk Top Survey of Proposed Development Land at Willand. Hollinrake Report. 215. Unknown. 16.
SDV7016	Monograph: Minchinton, W. E.. 1976. Industrial Archaeology in Devon. Industrial Archaeology in Devon. Paperback Volume. 8.

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6530 - The East and Mid-Devon Rivers Catchment NMP project (Ref: ACD613)
• EDV4193 - Four Ways Cross, Willand
• EDV4704 - Archaeological Excavation at Four Cross Ways, Willand, Devon

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