MEM22687 - Post-medieval drainage on The Chains (Monument)

A channel was visible during field investigation in 2012. This lies at the south end of a leat (MSO10476) and is a drainage channel to take water from the leat. This dates to c. 1830, the scoops along the channel may be original, or the result of later prospecting activity.

The Historic Environment Officer for the Exmoor Mires Project undertook a non-intrustive walkover survey of the proposed mire restoration area on The Chains, which included this site. Noted was a channel measuring 50 metres long, 4 to 5 metres wide and 0.8 metres deep, which lies at the south end of a leat (MSO10476). This is a drainage channel built to take water from the leat and dates to c.1830. The scoops along its length may be original or the result of prospecting activity later in the 19th Century. [1] A large scale metric survey of the Pinkworthy (or Pinkery) Pond environs was undertaken by Hazel Riley in 2012 as part of the Exmoor Mires Project. A channel was seen measuring 50 metres by 4 to 5 metres and 0.8 metres deep, which lies at the south end of the leat (MSO10476). This is a drainage channel cut to take the water from the leat away from the area of the dam for Pinkworthy (or Pinkery) Pond, and dates from c. 1830. The scoops which punctuate its length could be a feature of its construction or they may relate to later prospecting for ironstone which occurred on Exmoor Forest in the 1850s. [2]