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Summary

19th century southern entrance of the tunnel cut through Morwell Down for the Tavistock Canal.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1105707: SOUTH PORTAL TO THE TAVISTOCK CANAL TUNNEL AT NGR 448 702
• 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/509
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• TUNNEL (XIX - 1801 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Minchinton, W. E., 1973, Industrial Archaeology in Devon, 30 (Monograph). SDV7016.

This is the southern entrance of the tunnel cut through Morwell Down for the passage of the Tavistock Canal.

Hedges, C., 1975, The Tavistock Canal. A Short History (Monograph). SDV361772.

Department of Environment, 1987, Gulworthy, 109 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV220874.

Fuller details of Tavistock Canal on PRN 3879. South portal to the Tavistock Canal Tunnel dated 1803. The Tavistock Canal was built between 1803 and 1817 by John Taylor. Coursed granite rubble with stone datestone. The Tavistock Canal connected the Tavy to the Tamar over a distance of 4 1/2 miles. For nearly 2 miles it runs in a tunnel under Morwell Down; from the south portal it is connected to Morwellham by an incline plane with a drop of 237 feet. Round headed archway with voussoirs and keystone, datestone above. Flanking walls.

Greeves, T. A. P., 1991, Untitled Source, 1 (Monograph). SDV336667.

Cox, J. + Thorp, J. R. L., 1992, Canal Cottage, Morwellham (Report - Survey). SDV336711.

Harris, W. B., 1995, Hydro-Electricity in Devon: Past, Present and Future, 273 (Article in Serial). SDV125385.

The iron barges were towed along the open canal by horses but worked through the tunnel by 2 men using iron bars against the rock face.

Dyer, M. J. + Manning, P. T., 1998, Objective 5B: Lower Tamar Valley Recreation and Land Management Iinitiative: Cultural Heritage Appraisal, 40 (Report - non-specific). SDV319814.

Greeves, T., 2003, The Tavistock Canal: A Review, 14 (Report - non-specific). SDV356552.

Buck, C., 2005, Wheal Russell Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment, 45-6 (Report - Assessment). SDV336659.

The south portal of the tunnel (Site 58.1) under Morwell Down on the Tavistock Canal has a round headed archway with flanking walls. The top half of the portal collapsed after heavy rain in 1990 & was rebuilt though not to its original height off 12 feet. Other details: Fig 24.

Waterhouse, R., 2017, The Tavistock Canal. Its History and Archaeology, 361-380, fig (Monograph). SDV361789.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4040 - Wheal Russell Mine, Devon: Archaeological Assessment
• EDV8013 - Survey of the Tavistock Canal Tunnel on Morwelldown

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.