231:, construction was not started until 1590 and completed in 1591. The construction of the leat was by means of a simple ditch and bank which measured approximately six feet at its widest and was approximately two feet deep. Its course was deliberately meandering and gently sloping so that the water would not flow too fast and erode the banks. It was estimated that it took some thirty five men just over four months to complete the construction. Drake took part in the ceremonial turning of the first sod in December 1590. On 24 April 1591, the supply of water first flowed to Plymouth and the leat was blessed by the rector of Meavy. A legend records that at its opening Drake rode a white horse ahead of the water all the way to Plymouth.
214:"... to digge and myne a Diche or Trenche conteynenge in Bredthe betwene sixe or seaven ffoote over in all Places throughe and over all the Lands and Grounds lyeing betweene the saide Towne of Plymmowth and anye parte of the saide Ryver Mewe als Mevye, and to digge, myne, breake, bancke and caste vpp, all and all maner of Rockes Stones Gravell Sande and all other Letts in anye places or Groundes for the conveyant or necessarie Conveyange of the same River to the saide Towne ..."
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Harsh winters and a general decline in the condition of the leat brought the feasibility of its continued existence into question. The ever-growing population, and the increasing demand on the water supply in
Plymouth, meant that a more reliable source and supply of fresh water had to be found, and
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instead; and finally no arrangements for supplying irrigation were ever made with the taking of water from the leat being made illegal. It can therefore be seen that the primary purpose was to enable Drake to capitalise on his milling operations. Some of the excess water was made available free to
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On completion of the leat it was obvious that little heed had been paid to the original clauses as the leat did not flow to the naval victualling yard at
Lambhay until 1645; it was of no use for fire fighting as it avoided the built up areas of the city; it never went near Sutton Harbour, entering
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Drake was paid £200 for the work plus another £100 for compensation to any landowners whose property the course of the leat would have to pass through. In the event he paid out only £100 for construction and £60 for compensation making a tidy £140 profit. The leat powered all six of the new mills
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In 1576, Walter
Peperell became Mayor of Plymouth and it was at this time that the idea for the leat was resurrected by the Corporation of Plymouth. It was then that Robert Lampen of St Budeaux was paid 52s 5d (£2.62) to undertake a survey and the route of the leat was confirmed.
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Despite many considerations and plans to put the leat to good use, little has been preserved. The leat was briefly restored during the Second World War, should it have been needed if the city's new supply was damaged. Parts of the leat are still visible on the moor at
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Around 1600 an acrimonious dispute arose over the diversion of water from the leat for use in tin mills on
Roborough Down. On one side was Thomas Drake, brother of the deceased Francis, who now owned the corn mills lower down the leat; on the other was Sir
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was first mooted in 1560 and then Mr
Forsland of Bovey was paid 16s 10d (89p) to prepare a feasibility study. Due to the necessity of following the contours the length of the leat was seventeen and a half miles.
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in 1891. So, three hundred years after its construction, the upper part of Drake's Leat was lost as the valley was flooded, although lower sections remained for some years.
269:, and the outcome of the proceedings was that in 1603 the tinners were permitted to abstract water for their "two tynne milles knocking mills or classe milles".
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could be erected and operated on the banks of the leat. It gained royal assent and was passed as an Act in 1585 "For the
Preservation of the Haven of Plymouth".
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To clarify: Plymouth Leat, built 1590-1591, ran for 17½ miles from a head weir on the River Meavy (now under
Burrator Reservoir) to the sea at Millbay, Plymouth
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the public, via 27 conduits spread around the town, after it had driven the mill wheels but by 1600 only 30 wealthier homes had been directly connected.
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called a parliament in 1584, the Water Bill for
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built by
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Vera Gray (1990). "A Leat on
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To improve the poor quality of land on Dartmoor adjacent to the proposed leat.
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Emergence of Drakes Leat/ Plymouth Leat below Burrator Reservoir dam
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To provide a supply of water for naval and merchant shipping.
151:with water. It began at a point now under water at
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139:constructed in the late 16th century to tap the
186:To provide water for fire fighting in Plymouth.
200:chaired by a Mr Wroth and which included Sir
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290:(just off the A386) and near Clearbrook.
261:, who supported the tinners' claim under
108:Learn how and when to remove this message
401:River Meavy just upstream from Hoo Meavy
519:Millbay Docks (Port of Plymouth series)
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354:- a detailed article about Drake's Leat
318:The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History
223:Due to lack of funding caused by the
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412:"Devonport Leat – project completed"
46:adding citations to reliable sources
521:. Exeter: Devon Books. p. 1.
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544:Rep. Trans. Devon. Ass. Advmt Sci
507:Sutton Harbour, Central Plymouth
189:To scour Sutton Harbour of silt.
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320:. Plymouth Data. Archived from
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312:Brian Moseley (January 2013).
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259:Lord Warden of the Stannaries
278:this led to the creation of
340:. CorboyWeb. Archived from
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416:dartmoorpreservation.co.uk
314:"Water Supply to Plymouth"
265:. The dispute went to the
248:Conflict with the tinners
196:The bill was passed to a
517:Langley, Martin (1987).
211:The town was authorized:
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280:Burrator Reservoir
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273:Preservation
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348:15 November
328:13 February
239:the sea at
177:Elizabeth I
141:River Meavy
137:watercourse
98:August 2016
562:Categories
483:50°22′05″N
444:50°29′35″N
377:50°28′26″N
306:References
68:newspapers
486:4°07′55″W
447:4°02′35″W
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573:Dartmoor
550:: 77–79.
294:See also
227:and the
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421:8 April
241:Millbay
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