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Summary

Grimstone and Sortridge Leat running from Grimstone Head Weir at SX55287729 to Sortridge Farm at SX50857109, a distance of over 9.0 kilometres. The leat splits at the Bulleye Stone (SX53447428), heading south past Pew Tor. Also splits at SX53327426, heading west towards Moortown. The leat served the medieval manor houses of Grimstone and Sortridge. Surveyed and recorded in the Dartmoor Trust Leats Project.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1020000: Length of reave 290m north of Feather Tor, forming part of a coaxial field system on Whitchurch Common
• Scheduled Monument 1020089: Eluvial tin streamworks and prehistoric coaxial field system together with other archaeological remains on Whitchurch Common
• SHINE: Northern section of the leat that served the medieval manor houses of Grimstone and Sortridge

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX57SW/77
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

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

‘Grimstone and Sortridge Leat’ depicted on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map (approximately 1880s in date).

Royal Air Force, 1946, RAF/CPE/UK/1890, 1290 (Aerial Photograph). SDV169268.

Royal Air Force, 1947, RAF/CPE/UK/2149, 3177-3179 (Aerial Photograph). SDV282746.

Royal Air Force, 1949, RAF 540/226, 4174,5262 (Aerial Photograph). SDV271060.

Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, 1985, Aerial Photograph Project (Dartmoor) - Dartmoor Pre-NMP (Cartographic). SDV319854.

Grimstone and Sortridge Leat. Take off from River Walkham at SX55287729. Joins leats at SX53437430 and SX53447430. Bisects into short leats at SX53327426 aimed at Moortown farm. SX52617310 aimed at Bythedown. SX52897365 aimed at Furze Cottage. Continues across Plaster Down, terminating at SX51617252.

Robins, J., 1988, The Grimstone and Sortridge Leat, 24-9 (Article in Serial). SDV347623.

Turton, S. D. + Weddell, P. J., 1992, Archaeological Assessment of Tavistock Area Water Supply, 3 (Report - Assessment). SDV340617.

Served the medieval manor houses of Grimstone and Sortridge, which lie to the south near Horrabridge (see Robins, 1988).

Tavistock and District Local History Society, 2002, Whitchuch Parish. A short History of a Devon Parish, 30 (Monograph). SDV363278.

The origins of the leat may go back to the 14th century.

Dartmoor Trust and Dartmoor National Park Authority, 2010, Dartmoor Trust Leats Project 2009-2010 (Report - Survey). SDV347530.

Grimstone and Sortridge Leat surveyed and recorded between SX574795 - SX507711 (River Walkham). Good flow. Largely on Access Land; attractive, well walked. 'Bullseye' take-offs from main leat. Needs some maintenance on crossing points. Flows across Plasterdown, divides - serves Grimstone and Sortridge. Attractive stone clapper/flow divider at split. Other details: T:\Dartmoor Leats Survey / Q:\MAPDATA\HISTORIC\LeatsProject.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7441 - Condition survey of the archaeological sites of Merrivale Training Area
• EDV7570 - Condition survey of Merrivale Range training area
• EDV8291 - Okehampton Range: Monument Baseline Condition Survey
• EDV7368 - Survey of the Willsworthy Training Area, Peter Tavy
• EDV8679 - Okehampton Range: Management Survey
• EDV8695 - North Dartmoor Military Range English Heritage Project

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