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Summary

Buckfast Abbey Higher Mill Leat is shown on 19th century map running east from the Holy Brook and feeding a large mill pond then to the Lower Mill before running east to the River Dart. Impressively culverted in meadow area to the west of the abbey, it is potentially Medieval in origin.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX76NW/16/2

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Constructed, Early Medieval to XIX - 1066 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Mill Leat' shown on the 19th century map supplying ‘Higher Buckfast Woollen Mill.'

Greeves, T. A. P., 1981, Buckfast Abbey; Car Park and Tourist Service Buildings. Report on Archaeological Implications (Report - Assessment). SDV294420.

An impressive culverted leat running underground linking the Higher and Lower Mills traverses the site recommended for conversion to a large car park. Recorded here from at least mid 19th century (tithe map), of great importance, it is likely to be Medieval in date and provides a link between all the units of the original complex of medieval Buckfast.

Brown, S. W., 1982, Exacavations at Buckfast Abbey, June 1982 (Report - Interim). SDV294409.

Brown, S. W., 1988, Excavations and Building Recording at Buckfast Abbey, 32-34 (Article in Serial). SDV348443.

Late 18th century leat across Abbey Meadows to carry water to a woollen mill erected on a site adjacent to the South Gate. For part of its length it was vaulted over with stone forming a culvert. A water duct led off the leat towards the main farm buildings. The arched opening at the source of the duct originally had a sluice mechanism to regulate the water supply but has since been removed and the duct blocked. Other details: Figures 1 and 14.

Manning, P. T. + Goodwin, N. + Collings, A. G., 2000, Archaeological Recording at Higher Mill Cottages, Buckfast Abbey, 1 (Report - Survey). SDV313846.

Mill leat from the weir on 'Holy Brook' at SX72896778 which powered 'Buckfast Higher Mill' at SX73936736. In 1795 the leat along with the mill and 'rack meadow' were part of 'Sackfields tenement'.

Exeter Archaeology, 2005, An Archaeological Survey of Weirs in the River Dart Catchment. Draft Report, No. 15 (Report - Survey). SDV356906.

Brown, S., 2010, Buckfast Abbey: Archaeological Recording of Mill Leat and Early 20th Century Standing Structures: Interim Report (Report - Assessment). SDV348509.

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

Buckfast Mill Leat surveyed and recorded running between SX72896778 and SX73916738. (Holy Brook). No public access but believed to carry substantial flow. No knowledge of whether water is still used by the mill. Other details: T:\Dartmoor Leats Survey / Q:\MAPDATA\HISTORIC\LeatsProject.

Brown, S., 2011, Buckfast Abbey: Archaeological Recording of Mill Leats and Buildings Associated with Lower Buckfast Mill and the Early Modern Abbey and Archaeological Watching Brief (Report - Watching Brief). SDV348511.

Higher Leat shown on Tithe Map of 1829 feeding a large mill pond to the south-west of the mill. The leat was taken off Holy Brook and led to the south end of the mill. Later buildings covered over the Higher Leat which became a below ground culvert. The mill pond was filled in by 1887.

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

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5135 - Recording at Higher Mill Cottages, Buckfast Abbey
• EDV5678 - Watching Brief at Buckfast Abbey
• EDV7290 - Watching Brief at Higher Mill, Buckfast Abbey

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