T.W.M. 1858 Markers

The stones are described in great detail by Tim Jenkinson in Dartmoor Magazine, Issue 148, Winter 2022. Most of these reside in Greatrock Copse but others are located outside of the National Park. For the purposes of completion, and due to relevance relating to the old mill at Tottiford, all such stones are listed on Dartefacts. In the mid 1800s demand for water in Torbay was increasing as more people moved into the area. The existing water supplies were not sufficient so a new pipeline was built, taking water from the old mill pond at Tottiford down towards Torre in Torquay. The pipe was laid in 1858 and a number of granite marker stones were erected along parts of the route. It is unclear how many were erected but Tim Jenkinson, Max Piper and Paul Rendell have found a modest number. We can see that the pipeline's course was from Tottiford down through Greatrock Copse to Hennock. We then assume that it continued down to Five Lanes, Dunley Cross and over Jews Bridge towards Teigngrace. The course through Newton Abbot is not obvious but the pipe somehow traversed the town and ran through Kingskerswell and along Old Newton Road towards Torre. Only a couple of years after the pipe was completed, it was becoming evident that population increase was calling for a more viable alternative. This led to the creation of Tottiford Reservoir, Dartmoor's first reservoir, in 1861, to be constructed, with Kennick and Trenchford later following in 1888 and 1907 respectively.

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