July News
ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT by Tony Nicholls - 28th July 2021
We are putting all our energy and resources into the re-build of the upper basin wall at present and work continued apace this week.
We are putting all our energy and resources into the re-build of the upper basin wall at present and work continued apace this week.
Preparing base for the curved section
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Re-building upper basin wall
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We dug out a lot of earth and mud from around the curved section of the wall and got down to what seems to be a sound base on which to reconstruct this interesting feature the purpose of which is still unclear. At the back of this section, the basin widens to the same width as the lower basin. (What we call the ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ basin were originally one until divided by the access bund created by RHS Rosemoor a number of years ago). Parts of the wall here are still in good repair. Unfortunately, at some time in the recent past, British Telecom, in their wisdom, installed a telegraph pole right on the edge of the basin wall and destroyed much of the original stonework. This is a great pity as it spoils the line of the wall. The pole can be seen in the photo in the middle of the existing wall.
Lower chamber of tucking mill
On the tucking mill site, our resident archaeologist continued with his excavations and weed clearance. The site is looking much tidier now and the old cobbled floor is clearly visible in places. |
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We celebrated navvy Clive’s birthday during our coffee break and the team’s energy levels were greatly improved by the generous intake of birthday cake!
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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. (.NB. Arrangements may vary during Covid restrictions). Please contact Project Manager, Ian Harrison (tel.01237- 475707) for more information.
ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT by Tony Nicholls - 21st July 2021
The team arrived at Rosemoor today on a bakingly hot morning with the temperature already in the mid twenties ºC. It was therefore important to take sensible precautions and sun hats, sun cream and plenty of drinking water were the order of the day. Fortunately, the trees surrounding the canal provided some welcome shade from the sun. Despite the sweltering conditions, we managed to make decent progress on site.
The team arrived at Rosemoor today on a bakingly hot morning with the temperature already in the mid twenties ºC. It was therefore important to take sensible precautions and sun hats, sun cream and plenty of drinking water were the order of the day. Fortunately, the trees surrounding the canal provided some welcome shade from the sun. Despite the sweltering conditions, we managed to make decent progress on site.
Upper basin wall from the tucking mill
Our efforts were directed mainly at the upper basin wall which is still our overriding priority. While our masons were continuing with the re-build, we started to excavate around the end of the wall where the stonework takes a definite curve back towards the edge of the basin at its widest point (i.e. the same width as the lower basin). There is a recess here which may have been a ‘winding’ or turning point for the tub boats. The curve of the stonework projects some 6 to 8 feet into the canal and then seems to return at a right angle to join the upper basin wall. There are a number of large foundation stones still in place which indicate the line of the main wall but, unfortunately, the wall around the winding point has been badly damaged. However, it seems safe to assume that this was the approximate shape of the original wall. There may also have been a small slipway in this area for hauling the tub boats out of the water for maintenance but this is still to be investigated.
The curved end of the wall
Corner of upper basin wall
One of our archaeologists continued to tidy up the tucking mill and remove the jungle of weeds which has overrun the site in recent weeks. Sadly, the canal upstream from the mill has virtually disappeared from view – a reminder of how quickly Nature obliterates Man’s efforts if left unchecked.
Lower chamber of tucking mill
Repairs to wall of the mill race
Generally, working parties are held every Wednesday morning, meeting in the main car park at RHS Rosemoor, Torrington at 9.30am. (NB. Arrangements may vary during Covid restrictions). Please contact Project Manager, Ian Harrison (tel.01237- 475707) for more information.
SEA LOCK WORKING PARTY - Report by Tony Nicholls - 14th July 2021
The working party at Sea Lock this week was a good example of the old dictum that ‘the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft a-gley’. Only, in this case, it was the best laid plans of navvies and a crane.
The working party at Sea Lock this week was a good example of the old dictum that ‘the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft a-gley’. Only, in this case, it was the best laid plans of navvies and a crane.
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The intention had been to use Adrian’s Priestman Cub to lift out some of the really heavy foundation stones at the bottom of the upper basin wall. With this goal firmly established, Adrian fired up the crane and proceeded to trundle along the track to the site. This meant having to negotiate a nasty slope across the access road from the Tarka Trail with much to-ing and fro-ing. Unfortunately, the sideways motion of the crane caused the left hand track to jump off its bogies and become misaligned. Despite valiant efforts to jolt the track back into place, it soon became obvious that no movement – either forwards or backwards – was possible. The crane was stuck! This presented a huge and pressing problem as the crane was blocking the access to the lower basin and the wharfside. After much head scratching, it was decided that we would try to jack up the crane to a point where we could lever the track back into place – no easy feat given the weight of the machine. Fortunately, Adrian has an abundance of plant and equipment at Sea Lock and soon we had three large bottle jacks wedged firmly in place and the lift commenced. This was a tense moment as we had no idea if the jacks would be up to the task but gradually we saw the bogies lift clear of the track guides. With a considerable measure of brute force and ignorance we managed to lever the track back into place. Then came the moment of truth as we released the jacks. There was a collective sigh of relief as the bogies dropped safely into place between the guide plates. With this done, we were back in business and able to lift a pallet load of blocks obstructing access to the upper basin and move these to one side. Unfortunately, this process took up the entire morning but, if little else was achieved, it did prove that an immovable object can be moved with a little engineering ingenuity! |
Bottle jacks in place
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Trying to adjust the track
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Track levered into position
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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. (NB. Arrangements may vary during Covid restrictions). Please contact Project Manager, Ian Harrison (tel.01237- 475707) for more information.
ROLLE CANAL GUIDED WALK - Rosemoor 11th July
This Sunday afternoon is your chance to see parts of the Rolle Canal not normally accessible to the public. We will leave the overflow car park at RHS Rosemoor at 2:30pm and walk to the start of the canal at Healand Dock and Darkham weir, and proceed to the wharf and lime kilns at Rosemoor. You will then be able to visit the gardens free of change courtesy of RHS Rosemoor, with plenty of time to return home in time for the kickoff at 8pm. There is no need to book your visit.
On entry to the overflow car park drive straight on and you should see us at the far side. We will be there from about 2pm. Stout footwear or boots recommended. A £2 donation will be requested towards the work of the Rolle Canal Society.
This Sunday afternoon is your chance to see parts of the Rolle Canal not normally accessible to the public. We will leave the overflow car park at RHS Rosemoor at 2:30pm and walk to the start of the canal at Healand Dock and Darkham weir, and proceed to the wharf and lime kilns at Rosemoor. You will then be able to visit the gardens free of change courtesy of RHS Rosemoor, with plenty of time to return home in time for the kickoff at 8pm. There is no need to book your visit.
On entry to the overflow car park drive straight on and you should see us at the far side. We will be there from about 2pm. Stout footwear or boots recommended. A £2 donation will be requested towards the work of the Rolle Canal Society.
SEA LOCK MIDDLE BASIN PROJECT - Report by Project Manager Adrian Wills - 9th July 2021
Following hot on the heels of the splendid news that AIA has awarded a grant of £12,000 towards the restoration of the middle section of the wharf wall at Sea Lock, the project management team (minus 1) had its first on-site meeting on Wednesday to agree a strategy for achieving what the grant has been awarded for.
Following hot on the heels of the splendid news that AIA has awarded a grant of £12,000 towards the restoration of the middle section of the wharf wall at Sea Lock, the project management team (minus 1) had its first on-site meeting on Wednesday to agree a strategy for achieving what the grant has been awarded for.
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Not only was the acquisition of building materials considered, but matters of health and safety, volunteer and public liability, allocation of tasks for the volunteers, and how the project was to be publicized. A very productive discussion was had and after an hour or so, a starting date of Monday 12th July was decided upon as being the official beginning of the project. |
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ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT by Tony Nicholls - 7th July 2021
We had a rather drizzly start to our session at Rosemoor this week but, fortunately, the clouds cleared and by mid-morning the sun was shining.
As mentioned in last week’s report, the site is becoming seriously overgrown so one member of the team spent the entire morning strimming the encroaching vegetation in order to tidy up the site in preparation for the first guided walk of the season this Sunday (11th July, 2.30pm). By the end of the morning the site was looking in much better shape.
We had a rather drizzly start to our session at Rosemoor this week but, fortunately, the clouds cleared and by mid-morning the sun was shining.
As mentioned in last week’s report, the site is becoming seriously overgrown so one member of the team spent the entire morning strimming the encroaching vegetation in order to tidy up the site in preparation for the first guided walk of the season this Sunday (11th July, 2.30pm). By the end of the morning the site was looking in much better shape.
Clearing weeds from the tucking mill
Strimmed towpath
The lawn strimmed and cleared
We continued with the re-build of the upper basin wall and this work is slowly progressing. Our main concern is that we will soon run out of decent stone. The original wall was ‘dry laid’ and, although there is a lot of stone remaining, much of this is poor quality and is only suitable for backfill.
We also spent a considerable amount of time clearing the tucking mill site of weeds and carried out further work to consolidate the walls on either side of the mill leat.
Generally, working parties are held every Wednesday morning, meeting in the main car park at RHS Rosemoor, Torrington at 9.30am. (NB. Arrangements may vary during Covid restrictions). Please contact Project Manager, Ian Harrison (tel.01237- 475707) for more information.
SEA LOCK WORKING PARTY - Report by Michael Elliott - 6th July 2021
The small Tuesday working party at Sea Lock was back to full strength and set about the usual work on the wharf wall. This wall has been destroyed in two places where electricity cables were laid in the past (either side of the drainage pipe in the pictures), and the stones thrown back. So one job is to remove all this loose stone so a proper foundation can be installed. That was more or less finished in one of the two places. Meanwhile, the spare soil was used as backfill, and more of the wall built up with mortar and stone.
Next week, this work will become the Middle Basin Project, generously supported by the Association for Industrial Archaeology.
The small Tuesday working party at Sea Lock was back to full strength and set about the usual work on the wharf wall. This wall has been destroyed in two places where electricity cables were laid in the past (either side of the drainage pipe in the pictures), and the stones thrown back. So one job is to remove all this loose stone so a proper foundation can be installed. That was more or less finished in one of the two places. Meanwhile, the spare soil was used as backfill, and more of the wall built up with mortar and stone.
Next week, this work will become the Middle Basin Project, generously supported by the Association for Industrial Archaeology.
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FURZEBEAM REPAIRS - Report by Michael Elliott - 1st July 2021
The society had received a report of holes in the anti-slip mesh on the Furzebeam section, so two of us set of to investigate, armed with 10 metres of mesh, wire-cutters, hammers and staples. There are three such sections, two at the towpath diversion, and another further on towards the commons. Sure enough, holes were there to see, so we took the opportunity to re-cover the mesh in all three locations. The rest of this section has turned into a tropical jungle and will need serious attention soon.
The society had received a report of holes in the anti-slip mesh on the Furzebeam section, so two of us set of to investigate, armed with 10 metres of mesh, wire-cutters, hammers and staples. There are three such sections, two at the towpath diversion, and another further on towards the commons. Sure enough, holes were there to see, so we took the opportunity to re-cover the mesh in all three locations. The rest of this section has turned into a tropical jungle and will need serious attention soon.
