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HER Number:MDV122092
Name:Ornamental Canal in Stover Park

Summary

Site of an ornamental canal running west to east across the park from Stover Bridge to Ventiford Meadows.

Location

Grid Reference:SX 839 745
Map Sheet:SX87SW
Admin AreaDevon
Civil ParishTeigngrace
DistrictTeignbridge
Ecclesiastical ParishHIGHWEEK
Ecclesiastical ParishTEIGNGRACE

Protected Status

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

  • ORNAMENTAL CANAL (Created, XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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

Serpentine lake or canal shown across the park.

Waterhouse, R., 2006, Stover House. Archaeological Notes, 4, 7 (Report - non-specific). SDV364294.

Serpentine canals wind through the shallow valley of the Ventiford Brook, terminating in a large lake from which narrow ornamental canals radiate. The serpentine lake/canal is shown on an engraving of 1793 and all are shown on sale plan of 1828.

Askew Nelson Ltd, 2014, Stover Park. Parkland Plan, 66, 70, Plan F.9 (Un-published). SDV358318.

Ornamental canal running west to east across the park from Stover Bridge to Ventiford Meadows. The canal is still evident within the park but the section within Ventiford Meadows appears to have been infilled.

Passmore, A. + Rainbird, P., 2021, Restoring Stover Park. Report on Archaeological Surveys., 8, 12; Figs 4-5 and 7; Plates 6-8; Appendix 1
Appendix 1
(Report - Survey). SDV366260.

The proposals are to excavate and restore a length of the ornamental canal north of Stover House.
The ornamental canal is shown on all maps and prints of the park from the late 18th-century onward, and held water here until at least the 1930s.
In the surveyed area the base of the canal measures between 17m and 18m wide. The profiles show that the south bank, which is formed by a scarp, is better defined to the east of the surveyed the area and the base of the canal slopes down gently to the northwest. The north side of the canal is within a wooded hedgebank and is formed by a large earthwork bank which is part of the original construction for the ornamental canal.
To the west of the weir (MDV52191), the ornamental canal is defined by a bank on its north, downhill side. On the lower, north side of this bank is a further smaller channel or ditch that is present throughout areas 6 and 7 of the survey area. Sections of the canal within the woodland hold water, including at the north-western end of area 6. Immediately to the east of the weir there is a small stream within the base of the canal. However, historic maps indicate that originally the canal was wider, extending south to the woodland bank of New Orchard Copse.
Immediately east of Goilmoors Plantation curvilinear hollows are identifiable as slight earthworks. These correspond with the course of an ‘ornamental water’ depicted on the Tithe Map, part of the ornamental canal, and a later water channel depicted on the OS 1st and 2nd Edition 25” maps. These features are located in a field outside the survey area, and have not been ground-truthed. The field was inspected from the adjacent woodland. It is in arable cultivation, and there is no evidence of the ornamental canal extending beyond the boundary of the woodland (where it survives as a clearly defined, water-filled feature).

Sources / Further Reading

SDV336179Cartographic: Ordnance Survey. 1880-1899. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map. First Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map. Map (Digital). [Mapped feature: #111697 ]
SDV358318Un-published: Askew Nelson Ltd. 2014. Stover Park. Parkland Plan. Digital. 66, 70, Plan F.9.
SDV364294Report - non-specific: Waterhouse, R.. 2006. Stover House. Archaeological Notes. Devon Rural Archive. A4 Stapled + Digital. 4, 7.
SDV366260Report - Survey: Passmore, A. + Rainbird, P.. 2021. Restoring Stover Park. Report on Archaeological Surveys.. AC Archaeology. ACD2341/1/0. Digital. 8, 12; Figs 4-5 and 7; Plates 6-8; Appendix 1 Appendix 1.

Associated Monuments

MDV52191Parent of: Weir in Goilmoors Plantation, Stover Park (Monument)
MDV56726Part of: Stover Park, Teigngrace (Monument)
MDV38611Related to: Bridge 300 metres north of Stover House (Monument)

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

  • EDV7491 - Preparation of Parkland Plan for Stover Park, Newton Abbot, Devon
  • EDV9169 - Restoring Stover Park (Ref: ACD2341/1/0)

Date Last Edited:Dec 10 2024 10:02AM