April News
ROLLE CANAL AND NORTHERN DEVON WATERWAYS SOCIETY
Notes from the AGM held at RHS Rosemoor at 2pm on Sunday 28th April 2019.
Notes from the AGM held at RHS Rosemoor at 2pm on Sunday 28th April 2019.
There were about 30 members and 5 guests present.
In his report the Chair thanked those attending and also the 101 members for their continued support.
A founder member of the Society and hard working Committee member Norman Richards had stepped down from the Committee during the year. It was agreed that after playing an important role right from the very beginning of the Society he would be sorely missed from the Committee though he was intending to continue as a member. There was a rousing round of applause in appreciation.
Attention was drawn to the new website – particular thanks to Mike Harper for his hard work producing a website that we can be really proud of.
Thanks were extended to RHS Rosemoor for providing the venue free of charge and for their contributions to the canal restoration project at Rosemoor including the new information boards, topsoil etc.
Later in the meeting the following Officers were re-elected: Tony Barnes, Mike Chambers, Ian Harrison, Chris Hassall, Chris Jewell and Adrian Wills and Tony Nicholls who had been co-opted during the year was formally elected to the Committee.
After the meeting there was an interesting talk on West Country waterways developments by Ray Alexander, Chair of the Inland Waterways Association West Country Branch which was followed by a visit to the restoration site.
In his report the Chair thanked those attending and also the 101 members for their continued support.
A founder member of the Society and hard working Committee member Norman Richards had stepped down from the Committee during the year. It was agreed that after playing an important role right from the very beginning of the Society he would be sorely missed from the Committee though he was intending to continue as a member. There was a rousing round of applause in appreciation.
Attention was drawn to the new website – particular thanks to Mike Harper for his hard work producing a website that we can be really proud of.
Thanks were extended to RHS Rosemoor for providing the venue free of charge and for their contributions to the canal restoration project at Rosemoor including the new information boards, topsoil etc.
Later in the meeting the following Officers were re-elected: Tony Barnes, Mike Chambers, Ian Harrison, Chris Hassall, Chris Jewell and Adrian Wills and Tony Nicholls who had been co-opted during the year was formally elected to the Committee.
After the meeting there was an interesting talk on West Country waterways developments by Ray Alexander, Chair of the Inland Waterways Association West Country Branch which was followed by a visit to the restoration site.
ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT FROM TONY NICHOLLS - 17th April 2019
A good turnout this week meant that we were able to work on a number of different areas on site.
Repairs to the southern arch of the kiln are progressing well and we hope that this work will be completed in the next few weeks. Further repointing of the west wall of the lime kiln wall was undertaken and this face is now looking much more secure. We also continued the re-build of the foundations of the external wall which involved a four man lift of a substantial stone previously unearthed from the canal bed to form the end of the wall. Further excavation of this area uncovered what we believe to be the foundations of the original buttress and a concrete base was poured in preparation for reconstruction.
A good turnout this week meant that we were able to work on a number of different areas on site.
Repairs to the southern arch of the kiln are progressing well and we hope that this work will be completed in the next few weeks. Further repointing of the west wall of the lime kiln wall was undertaken and this face is now looking much more secure. We also continued the re-build of the foundations of the external wall which involved a four man lift of a substantial stone previously unearthed from the canal bed to form the end of the wall. Further excavation of this area uncovered what we believe to be the foundations of the original buttress and a concrete base was poured in preparation for reconstruction.
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Work also continued on the excavation of the former tucking mill. RHS Rosemoor have kindly felled the trees which we marked last week which has greatly assisted in the clearance of the site. The extent of the original structure is not totally clear yet but more will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Generally, working parties are held every Wednesday morning, meeting in the main car park at RHS Rosemoor, Torrington at 9.30am. New volunteers are always welcome. Please contact Project Manager, Ian Harrison (tel.01237- 475707) for more information.
ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT FROM TONY NICHOLLS - 10th April 2019
The site is looking very tidy since RHS Rosemoor spread topsoil around the area in front of the lime kiln. The ground is to be given a final turning over and grass seed will then be sown over the entire area.
The challenging work of rebuilding the southern arch of the lime kiln continues and more stones were cut and set in place this week. We are also extending and rebuilding the foundation of the external wall of the lime kiln to the point where it would have joined the south wall of the structure. Now that the site has been properly cleared, these foundations are a good visual aid which will help visitors to understand the full extent of the building.
The site is looking very tidy since RHS Rosemoor spread topsoil around the area in front of the lime kiln. The ground is to be given a final turning over and grass seed will then be sown over the entire area.
The challenging work of rebuilding the southern arch of the lime kiln continues and more stones were cut and set in place this week. We are also extending and rebuilding the foundation of the external wall of the lime kiln to the point where it would have joined the south wall of the structure. Now that the site has been properly cleared, these foundations are a good visual aid which will help visitors to understand the full extent of the building.
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A second team has started to excavate the site of the former tucking mill and has already exposed a substantial section of the foundations. Some time ago, we unearthed an old cast iron shaft complete with cog which was obviously part of the mill machinery. This is an area of great interest and when fully developed will be an integral part of the canal 'complex'.
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Generally, working parties are held every Wednesday morning, meeting in the main car park at RHS Rosemoor, Torrington at 9.30am. New volunteers are always welcome. Please contact Project Manager, Ian Harrison (tel.01237- 475707) for more information.
ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT FROM MICHAEL ELLIOTT - 3rd April 2019
In cold and occasionally wet weather, a good turnout of volunteers was complemented by a digger and driver hired to remove the clay from the lime kiln area, and to spread topsoil. Work also continued on the kiln arch, with steel rebar inserts added to strength the stone work and a few more stones added. Another group started exposing the stonework of the nearby tucking mill.
The canal was pre-dated by the tucking mill and exploited the pre-existing mill leat and weir across the river Torridge as its main water supply.
In cold and occasionally wet weather, a good turnout of volunteers was complemented by a digger and driver hired to remove the clay from the lime kiln area, and to spread topsoil. Work also continued on the kiln arch, with steel rebar inserts added to strength the stone work and a few more stones added. Another group started exposing the stonework of the nearby tucking mill.
The canal was pre-dated by the tucking mill and exploited the pre-existing mill leat and weir across the river Torridge as its main water supply.
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Generally, working parties are held every Wednesday morning, meeting at 9.30am in the main car park at RHS Rosemoor, Torrington. New volunteers are always welcome
