See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Leat which brought water from the River Tavy to Mount's Foundry. It also supplied water to a hydro-electric installation at one time. The leat is now partly infilled.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47SE/337/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

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

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, First Edition 1:500 Town Map (Cartographic). SDV338879.

Map object based on this source.

Monuments Protection Programme, 1999, Electric Power (Additionals) Site Assessment Form (Un-published). SDV350358.

Site visit on 4th June 1999. To the north of the power house is a concrete-lined leat that brought water from a weir (opposite Kelly College) on the River Tavy. This leat also supplied a hydro-electric installation, now demolished, run by Farm Industries Ltd. The surviving iron grill, leaf scraping mechanism and sluice give on to a large header tank against the power house. A concrete overflow curves around the power house to the west.

Warren, S., 2002, Evaluation. Listed Foundry Building. Parkwood Road, Tavistock, 5.1; photos 13-14 (Report - Evaluation). SDV348734.

Photos of sluice mechanisms on the disused leat to the north of the listed foundry building.

Wessex Archaeology, 2006, Mount Foundry, Tavistock, Devon. Building Recording, 5, 8; plates 8-9 (Report - non-specific). SDV347975.

The leat, which ran along the northern boundary of the site, had been infilled and was very overgrown. The various sluiced which once fed the water wheels had either been removed/demolished or covered with concrete.

Trevarthen, M., 2009, Mount Foundry, Tavistock. An Early 19th Century Iron and Brass Foundry in West Devon, 219; figures 5-7 (Article in Serial). SDV344802.

Immediately north of the excavations lies a terraced aqueduct (the upper leat). This formerly drew the water necessary to power the foundry's water-wheels from the Tavy upstream before discharging via several leats, culverts and overflow channels into a lower leat (now culverted) along the southern edge of the site, and ultimately into the medieval Millbrook.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Map object based on this source.

Waterhouse, R., 2017, The Tavistock Canal. Its History and Archaeology, 243, fig 2.9 (Monograph). SDV361789.

See publication for full details and plan.

Wreford, M., 21/01/1999, Old Plant - Tavistock (Un-published). SDV350357.

Site visit on 20th January 1999. The leat is now empty, although there is a grid still in place. The leaf scrapping mechanism is disintegrated.

Frederick Sherrell Limited, Apr 2012, Proposed Olympic Swimming Pool at Kelly College, Tavistock, Devon, 3, 4, Photo 3, 5 (Report - Assessment). SDV359540.

The leat has been infilled or blocked off where it runs through Kelly College, although it may contain water runoff.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6940 - Desk Study Report for proposed Olympic Swimming Pool at Kelly College, Tavistock (Ref: 3751)

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