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Summary

Course of a mid-19th century leat connecting Tavistock Canal to Bedford United Mine. It was constructed in 1842-3 as an extension to the Wheal Tamar Leat and navigated similarly challenging terrain. The leat is depicted on historic maps and visible as earthwork ditch and banked features on aerial photographs of 1947 and 1948.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1021461: Morwellham Quay: transport infrastructure, part of the water control system and a manganese mill
• Scheduled Monument 1021461: Morwellham Quay: transport infrastructure, part of the water control system and a manganese mill

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47SW/514

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Constructed, XIX to XX - 1840 AD to 1930 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1884, Untitled Source (Cartographic). SDV336661.

The course of the leat is clearly shown on the first edition of the 6 inch map of 1884.

Ordnance Survey, 1953, Untitled Source (Cartographic). SDV242410.

On the modern 25 inch map of the area immediately around the mine it seems that parts of the course have disappeared.

Booker, F., 1967, Industrial Archaeology of the Tamar Valley, 138 (Monograph). SDV240774.

Leat serving Bedford United Mine (see PRN 3861)). Runs from SX44377004 north to SX43947244 along the 200 foot contour then curves round to south ending on the bank of The Tamar at SX43397187.The leat took water from The Tavistock Canal, carrying it some 2 miles including two tunnels. The water powered a wheel and engine on the mine and then carried waste back to The Tamar. It was used up until the 1930s.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1967-1980, SX47SW32 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV336666.

The Great Leat at Devon Great Consols Mine, misleadingly marked on present day maps as an old canal, 2 miles long and 18ft wide, ran from a weir at Latchley on the Tamar to a point a little to the east of Blanchdown Farm. It was completed in 1849 and its course can still be seen today.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1991, Untitled Source, 2 & 16 (Monograph). SDV336667.

In Tavistock Hamlets parish file.

Cornwall Archaeological Unit, 2001-2002, Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme Transcriptions and Database Records, RAF/CPE/UK/2501/4107&8 1947; RAF/CPE/2149/3141 1948 (Interpretation). SDV346287.

Post-medieval earthwork ditch and banked features are visible on aerial photographs of 1947 and 1948.

Buck, C., 2003, Bedford United Mine: Archaeological Assessment, 41-2 (Report - Assessment). SDV319828.

Leat (Site 15) running from the ‘Tavistock Canal’ at SX44407006 c2.5 miles to the ‘Bedford Mine’ outfall at SX43567250. Water was taken from the western end of the ‘River Tamar’. At ‘Chimney Rock’ it turned north north east going under two roads to above the water wheels where it split. Some water went west via the dam SX503/7 and the rest went back along the side of the Tamar to South Bedford Mine to power two other water wheels. Parts of the leat have disappeared. At SX43757210 the c0.8m wide leat ran across the top of an adit and at SX43857233 the leat went under the road via a small tunnel. Other details: Fig 24.

Buck, C., 2005, Wheal Russell Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment, 22-3 (Report - Assessment). SDV336659.

Bedford Leat (Site 9) running from SX43907118 to SX44407004 taking water from the western end of the Tavistock Canal c2.5 miles to Bedford United Mine. At Wheal Russell Mine the leat fed at least three water wheels with a further three at Bedford United Mine & South Bedford Mine. Tunnels were cut through rock outcrops. The survey in 2005 found the leat was well preserved in places being 0.75 meters wide x 0.65 meters deep at SX 44027076. Two Leat Sluices (Site 9.1) were shown on the 19th century maps at SX43887112 & SX43847104 with the latter surviving as a gap in the lower side of the leat. Two Leat Tunnels (Site 9.2) cut through the rock outcrops of Morwell Rocks at SX44057066 & Pleasure Rock at SX44067055. the tunnels were found to be up to 0.8 meters wide x up to 1.8 meters high. Other details: Figs 6, 8,12 & 13.

Waterhouse, R., 2017, The Tavistock Canal. Its History and Archaeology, 234-5, Fig 7.18, 7.20, 7.24, 7.30 (Monograph). SDV361789.

The Bedford United Leat (1840-1930) SX4394 7125 to SX4380 7260
An extension to the Wheal Tamar Leat, northwards from the Impham Valley was built in 1842-3. It navigated terrain even worse than its predecessor and section required wooden launders to bypass rocky slopes and crag faces; where the leat passed across the vertical face of Chimney Rock, the launder was bolted to iron pegs driven into the rock.
The South Bedford Leat (c.1850-1868) SX4380 7247 to SX4346 7186
A precise construction date of this half-mile extension of the Bedford United Leat is unknown but it is probably not before 1853, when a new company commenced work on the sett. The leat came out of the lower end of the Gutterhole Valley, augmented by pumped water from Phillips Lode on Bedford United Mine, running along the 30 metre contour through land above the river. See publication for full details and plan.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4036 - Bedford United Mine: Archaeological Assessment
• EDV4040 - Wheal Russell Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment
• EDV6911 - Tamar Valley National Mapping Programme
• EDV5407 - Surface Reconnaissance Inspection at Devon Great Consols and Bedford United Mines
• EDV5535 - Walkover Reconnaissance Inspection, Devon Great Consols and Bedford United Mines

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