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Summary

Buckfast Lower Mill Leat runs from a weir on the River Dart south past Buckfast Abbey buildings to the Lower Mill before returning to the River Dart

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• LEAT (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD (Between))

Full description

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

Leat dug across Abbey Meadow after circa 1780 to supply woollen mill. For part of its length it was vaulted over with stone, forming a culvert. Midway along the culvert a duct led off toward the Abbey Farm buildings. The duct opening originally had a sluice mechanism, since removed.

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

The leat comprises two parts, a shallow northern length from the weir on the River Dart to the mill and a much deeper southern section below the mill cut deep into bedrock. The 4-5 metres difference in height would have allowed an overshot wheel to be installed. The leat may have Medieval origins and been shallow along its entire length until the later Post Medieval period. The Tithe Map of 1839 shows two separate leats leading to Lower Mill. The higher leat taken off Holy Brook fed a large mill pond to the west of the mill before passing the south end of the mill and continuing east toward the River Dart.

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

Turns big wheel on Buckfast Abbey's Monastic Produce shop (was the plating mill). Wheel and launder very attractive feature seen by visitors to the Abbey. Flows strongly. No knowledge of whether power from the wheel is used.

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.

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

'Mill Leat' shown on modern mapping.

Brown, S., July 2013, St. Mary's Primary School, Buckfast, Devon. Archaeological Watching Brief 2012-2013, 38-41,Figures 29-30 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV358143.

Lower Leat first appears on the Tithe map of 1843.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV5678 - Watching Brief at Buckfast Abbey
• EDV6726 - Archaeological Watching Brief at St. Mary's Primary School, Buckfast

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