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Summary

Archaeological recording undertaken by Exeter Museum Archaeological Field Unit in 1993 noted a series of culverts and leats running under the granary.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86SW/293/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (Early Medieval to XXI - 1066 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

Westcott, K. A., 1994, Archaeological Survey of Harris Bacon Factory Buildings, Town Mills, Totnes, 3.1 and 3.3 (Report - Survey). SDV169988.

Archaeological recording undertaken by Exeter Museum Archaeological Field Unit, in 1993, noted a series of culverts and leats running under the granary. Details in the report, section 3.1 and 3.3.

The excavation of the pipe-trench close to the east wall of the granary, and, after the demolition of the smoke-houses, around the south wall revealed five leats. Four of these leats were built of local limestone and were either contemporary with or predated the granary. The other leat was contemporary with the bacon-smoking factory.

Running under the middle granary was a culverted large leat, 2.64 metres wide which had a roof vaulted with a low segmental arch. The west end of the culvert was blocked off with concrete. 5.8 metres to the east of the blocking, the culvert turned to the south. After a further 3.5 metres, the leat changed direction again, swinging further to the south. Only a portion of this section survived, the rest having been dug away in the excavation of the pipe trench.

To the south of this leat was a smaller culverted leat running close to the line of the part wall between the main ground floor room of the granary and the south room. This leat was apparently discovered when piling for new foundations close to the east wall of the granary and hence, must have been demolished not far from the east wall of the granary. The leat was 1.2 metres from the floor to the crown of the vault and of similar width.

Between these two leats there was a remnant of a third leat. This was manifest as only a few stones projecting slightly into the west side of the pipe trench and represented the south wall of the leat. The masonry could be traced to the south for about 1.1 metres.

At the southeast corner of the granary were the remains of another culverted leat which had skirted the south wall of the building and swung to the north to meet up with the effluent of the two leats which passed under the granary. A short length of the north wall was seen. This was 0.71 metres wide.

These stone leats converged to a single effluent leat to the east of the granary. This leat was open until the time of expansion of the factory when it was covered with concrete and buildings erected over it. It was uncovered during the cleaning of the site by the contractors. The walls were brick laid in English bond.

After the demolition of the smoke houses the removal of the concrete floor uncovered a blocked and filled brick-built leat. The leat ran parallel with the south wall of the granary 1.62 metres to its south. The leat was 2.54 metres wide and had walls 0.35 metres thick constructed in English bond. The west end was blocked with brickwork 0.25 metres thick.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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