Description

SS 43 SE BRAUNTON BRAUNTON MARSH

9/36 Great Sluice
-

- II

Sluice to drain marshes. Circa 1811 to 1815 by James Green, engineer. Coursed and
dressed stone revetment walls with 3 segmentally arched sluice openings with 2
semi-circular retaining walls. The piers are grooved for sluice gates to slide
down. Continuous impost around piers and retaining walls at springing level of
arches.
The opposite outer end of sluice has retaining walls at right angles either side
and 2 large projecting round-ended piers either side of timber sluice gates to
single arched sluice.
Braunton Marsh was probably reclaimed in the Middle Ages from tidal waters of the
River Taw, but from 1811-15 the marsh was more extensively drained after
authorization by Act of Parliament (1811) as a result of the endeavours of the
Lords of the Manors of Braunton Gorges, Braunton Abbotts, Braunton Arundel and
Saunton and others who had grazing rights on the marshes. They sought to enclose
Braunton Marsh which was regularly flooded by tidal water. 949 acres were
reclaimed. John Pascoe was the surveyor and James Green (County Surveyor) the
engineer. The adjacent Horsey Island to the south east was reclaimed between 1852-
1857.
Historically these late enclosures are particularly interesting in Braunton where
the Great Field immediately north of the marsh is oneof only 3 open field systems
to survive in England. Although today (1984) there are only 5 farmers in the Great
Field their holdings are still widely dispersed over the field as they were in the
Middle Ages when there were about 100 farmers.
Reference: A H Slee Trans. Devonshire Assoc. (1969) Vol.100, pp.101-110.
W G Hoskins and H P R Finberg, Devonshire Studies, pp.265-271 and p.332.

Listing NGR: SS4776434178

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26596565

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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