Stover Canal near Newton Abbot

There are some 2700 miles of the canal network in the UK the chances are anywhere you live one is not going to be too far away. While most are the sort that my friend Hive account@scubahead is chugging along on Badger the narrowboat. Locally in Newton Abbot, we have one of the more unusual ones.

Built between 1790 and 1792 by James Templer to take ball clay in barges from the pits around Teingrace to Newton Abbot where it joined the River Teign. Where they could then use the river to go down to the port at Teignmouth. The Canal is quite short at just under 2 miles and did at one time include 5 locks but these are no longer operating as you will see. This is one of the pivots from the lock gates so one day who knows.

In 1877 the canal was purchased by the GWR (Gods Wonderful Railway) who operated it till 1937 when it fell into disuse. Around 2012 it was handed over to Teignbridge District Council to develop as a leisure facility which is now. There is a tarmacked cycle path set back from the canal and a rougher walking trail alongside it both are easily accessed from Newton Abbot or Teignbridge. With a handy tea stop at the old Teigngrace lock. It's a pleasant afternoon walk and not too taxing as it's all flat.

Restoration work has been carried out on the canal by the Stover Canal Trust since 2012.

But there is still a huge amount of work to do as you can see from this unrestored section.

Part of the restoration has been the Graving dock built into one of the locks which would have allowed the barge drydocked for repairs.

Handy steps for getting in and out.

At the head of the canal was Ventiford Basin where it was joined to the granite railway from the quarry at Haytor in 1820 to allow it to transport the quarried stone as well.

Replica of the trolleys used to transport stone from Haytor some 12 miles away. Good job it's mostly downhill.

Part of the restoration work at Ventiford uncovered this business end for an 18th-century steam-powered dildo or possibly just the base of a crane used to load the barges.

All, for now, Hivers so if you're down in Newton Abbot and can drag yourself away from our many pubs there is also some history to look into.