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Summary

Early 19th century canal boat haulway where the canal boats were hauled up a broad plateway on horse-drawn trolleys (a rise of 5.94 metres) on the Mill Hill 'Cut' of the Tavistock Canal. Previously thought to be located to the west of Middle Lumburn Bridge, as this was the proposed site shown on the 1803 canal plan.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47SE/88

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CANAL INCLINED PLANE (Constructed, XIX - 1818 AD to 1819 AD (Between))

Full description

Hadfield, C., 1967, Canals of South West England, 131-2 (Monograph). SDV58.

A double tracked inclined plane with loaded boats going downwards pulling empty ones up.

Booker, F., 1967, Industrial Archaeology of the Tamar Valley, 125-6 (Monograph). SDV240774.

(SX45407422) Site of inclined plane, designed to rise 5.9 metres to Millhill Quarry from the Mill Hill 'Cut' canal. Site now unknown but near the blocked bridge on the road to the west of Middle Lumburn Bridge. Consisted of a cast-iron railway track built in 1817-1819. There is no evidence thie planned incline was ever constructed as there seems no necessity for it.

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

Exeter Archaeology, 1998, Objective 5B: Lower Tamar Valley Recreation and Land Management Iinitiative: Cultural Heritage Appraisal: Artiscombe Farm, 3 (Report - Assessment). SDV342538.

Waterhouse, R., 2017, The Tavistock Canal. Its History and Archaeology, 41, 137-8, 333-5, 493-497, figs 3.2, 10.30, 10.35-39, 12.98 (Monograph). SDV361789.

The Collateral Cut boat haulway
During the planning phase of Tavistock Canal in 1803-4, one of the major changes (although not referred to in the minutes of 1804) was in the location of the rise in level between the two pounds of the Collateral Cut to Mill Hill, moving it from Middle Lumburn Bridge to the Newton Valley.
Part of the lower section of the Collateral Cut, west of Lumburn Cottages was a boat haulway (described in 1826 by two Prussian engineers; see pages 137-8), where the canal boats were hauled up a broad plateway between the upper and lower pounds on horse-drawn trolleys (a rise of 5.94 metres). This feature has not previously been located, perhaps due to historians erroneously assuming the 1803 plan as the finished course (which shows its proposed position just south-west of Middle Lumburn Bridge at Mill Hill. Detailed resurveying of the route proved this to be impossible).
The haulway apparently began at a point 175 metres south-east of where the canal crossed the Tavistock to Callington road, where the surviving dry bed of the canal disappears (this is obscured by modern dumping on the canal bed). Currently a footpath follows its route north-west to the A390 main road, although the lower half is occupied by the remains of the track of the horse railway. The haulway continued straight north-westwards (beyond the A390) for another 110 metres up the edge of the Newton Valley, where faint earthwork can be traced in places.
Position of the haulway and other canal features marked onto the 1768 estate map and photographs of the Newton Valley show the earthwork remains of the canal features. Section profile included to show how haulway operated. See report for full details.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV1445 - Lower Tamar Valley Heritage Appraisal: Artiscombe Farm

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