Beam Aqueduct
Canal Bridge is the subject of countless photographs of the Torridge valley, as well as taking a major role in Henry Williamson's famous tale of Tarka the Otter. More Correctly known as the Beam Aqueduct, it is where the canal was taken at a high level across the River Torridge through the grounds of Beam House to skirt the base of Furzebeam Hill before proceeding onto Torrington Commons. Since the closure of the canal, the bridge has been made the main entrance drive to Beam House, linking it to the 'new' main road A386, making the old driveway to the high road between Torrington and Weare Giffard redundant. This old drive however still has two bridges standing, one over the railway/Tarka Trail and only yards away but unseen, over the course of the canal. From here to Torrington Commons is all private property of Clinton Estates, successors to the Rolle family.
What?
“…… a whiteness drifting above the sere reeds of the riverside, for the owl had flown from under the middle arch of the stone bridge that once carried the canal across the river.” Thus Henry Williamson, in the very first paragraph of ‘Tarka the Otter’ makes his first of many references to the Beam Aqueduct and the Rolle Canal in that most famous of his works.
Though now carrying a driveway instead of a waterway over the river Torridge, the five arched stone aqueduct is as sound today as when it was built some 190 years ago. It is one of the most photographed features of the Torridge valley and makes a lasting tribute to the builders of the Rolle Canal.
“…… a whiteness drifting above the sere reeds of the riverside, for the owl had flown from under the middle arch of the stone bridge that once carried the canal across the river.” Thus Henry Williamson, in the very first paragraph of ‘Tarka the Otter’ makes his first of many references to the Beam Aqueduct and the Rolle Canal in that most famous of his works.
Though now carrying a driveway instead of a waterway over the river Torridge, the five arched stone aqueduct is as sound today as when it was built some 190 years ago. It is one of the most photographed features of the Torridge valley and makes a lasting tribute to the builders of the Rolle Canal.
When?
The engineer, James Green, as a sideline to his day job as Bridges Surveyor to the County of Devon, built canals and drained marshes for Lord Rolle in North Devon. He built the Rolle Canal between 1823 and 1827 and it operated until 1872 when its route was used to accommodate the new railway between Bideford and Torrington. The railway in turn closed down in 1982 and was subsequently converted into the long distance cycle and walkway known as the Tarka Trail.
The engineer, James Green, as a sideline to his day job as Bridges Surveyor to the County of Devon, built canals and drained marshes for Lord Rolle in North Devon. He built the Rolle Canal between 1823 and 1827 and it operated until 1872 when its route was used to accommodate the new railway between Bideford and Torrington. The railway in turn closed down in 1982 and was subsequently converted into the long distance cycle and walkway known as the Tarka Trail.
Why?
The canal had followed the west side of the valley from its start at the sea lock at Landcross. However Beam House was situated in a large loop of the river, the outside of which cut into unstable rock in the steep western valley side. Therefore it was easier and safer for the canal to cross over the Torridge to the east bank and cut across the loop, passing behind Beam house. This choice of route may also have been influenced by the fact that Beam House was one of the Rolle family residences and they may have preferred not to have the canal and its workers passing the front of their house.
The canal had followed the west side of the valley from its start at the sea lock at Landcross. However Beam House was situated in a large loop of the river, the outside of which cut into unstable rock in the steep western valley side. Therefore it was easier and safer for the canal to cross over the Torridge to the east bank and cut across the loop, passing behind Beam house. This choice of route may also have been influenced by the fact that Beam House was one of the Rolle family residences and they may have preferred not to have the canal and its workers passing the front of their house.
How?
The aqueduct is constructed of five semi-circular masonry arches supported on tall stone pillars seated in the river bed. The arches are each of 31 feet span and the width between parapets is 21 feet. This accommodated a path at either side and, between them, the canal itself which would have been lined with clay to render it watertight.
The aqueduct is constructed of five semi-circular masonry arches supported on tall stone pillars seated in the river bed. The arches are each of 31 feet span and the width between parapets is 21 feet. This accommodated a path at either side and, between them, the canal itself which would have been lined with clay to render it watertight.
Where?
The entrance drive to Beam House, which is now the P.G.L. children’s activity holiday centre, is about 4½ miles south of Bideford on the A386 towards Torrington. The drive runs on the level from the main road to cross over the Torridge within a few yards on the bridge which used to be the canal aqueduct.
Beyond the bridge, the drive is private property and the aqueduct is best viewed from the Tarka Trail, the nearest access off the main road being at Loxdown Cross, just half a mile to the north. At that point there is a picnic site signed to the west of the road from which a lane runs under the highway and leads to steps up to the Trail. A picturesque short walk south along the Trail crosses the valley on an embankment and viaduct with superb views of the river Torridge and the aqueduct itself.
The entrance drive to Beam House, which is now the P.G.L. children’s activity holiday centre, is about 4½ miles south of Bideford on the A386 towards Torrington. The drive runs on the level from the main road to cross over the Torridge within a few yards on the bridge which used to be the canal aqueduct.
Beyond the bridge, the drive is private property and the aqueduct is best viewed from the Tarka Trail, the nearest access off the main road being at Loxdown Cross, just half a mile to the north. At that point there is a picnic site signed to the west of the road from which a lane runs under the highway and leads to steps up to the Trail. A picturesque short walk south along the Trail crosses the valley on an embankment and viaduct with superb views of the river Torridge and the aqueduct itself.
What can we see now?
The Beam Aqueduct is the finest intact feature remaining of the Rolle Canal. The canal bed with its right angle bend leading up to the Aqueduct was lost when it was made into the drive to Beam House after the canal closed.
Between here and the picnic site at Loxdown Cross it is possible to make out traces of the canal bed alongside, and in part overlain by, the main road. Overgrown with trees and scrub, it is no more than a faint depression in the ground, forming a slight shelf before the slope falls away to the valley bottom. Clumps of rushes growing in the damp ground give a clue to its waterway origin.
Following the Tarka Trail east from its crossing of the Torridge leads through a cutting behind the Beam House grounds, passing under a tall arched bridge that carried the original carriage drive over the railway, and emerging onto another river viaduct just above Beam Weir. This is a wonderful spot for observing the river with salmon leaping, otters swimming and herons and anglers fishing in the river.
Looking upstream (east) from this river bridge, the far bank is the base of the steep, wooded slopes of Furzebeam Hill. Invisible through the trees is the course of the Rolle Canal, cut into the rock of the hillside some 30 feet above river level. The canal follows the base of the hill around the curve of the river to the end of the wood before crossing the Tarka Trail again and becoming lost in the meadows towards Staple Vale.
The Beam Aqueduct is the finest intact feature remaining of the Rolle Canal. The canal bed with its right angle bend leading up to the Aqueduct was lost when it was made into the drive to Beam House after the canal closed.
Between here and the picnic site at Loxdown Cross it is possible to make out traces of the canal bed alongside, and in part overlain by, the main road. Overgrown with trees and scrub, it is no more than a faint depression in the ground, forming a slight shelf before the slope falls away to the valley bottom. Clumps of rushes growing in the damp ground give a clue to its waterway origin.
Following the Tarka Trail east from its crossing of the Torridge leads through a cutting behind the Beam House grounds, passing under a tall arched bridge that carried the original carriage drive over the railway, and emerging onto another river viaduct just above Beam Weir. This is a wonderful spot for observing the river with salmon leaping, otters swimming and herons and anglers fishing in the river.
Looking upstream (east) from this river bridge, the far bank is the base of the steep, wooded slopes of Furzebeam Hill. Invisible through the trees is the course of the Rolle Canal, cut into the rock of the hillside some 30 feet above river level. The canal follows the base of the hill around the curve of the river to the end of the wood before crossing the Tarka Trail again and becoming lost in the meadows towards Staple Vale.
Meanwhile, returning to the cutting behind Beam House, some 100 yards in from the southern end there is a shelved area to the east side of the Trail forming an uneven level about five to eight feet above the track. This is where the canal bed was cut through by the railway builders and, although now heavily overgrown with trees, it is possible to see where some people have scrambled up to investigate further. In fact, only a few yards along, there is an earth bank with post and wire fence across the canal, probably built to prevent any danger of canal water flooding the railway. That bank also marks the limit of public access; the land beyond, including the canal, being the property of Clinton Devon Estates, successors to the Rolle Estates.
From that boundary it is possible in winter to see through the trees to where the carriage drive crosses the canal on another stone arch bridge. This has been renovated by Clinton Estates, along with a short length of canal, as a millennium project and brass plaques on the bridge proclaim the fact. Unfortunately it is not accessible to the public, although the Rolle Canal Society occasionally holds guided walks with permission to visit the site.