EXETER Through the bottom of your beer glass EXETER SHIP CANAL
The Exeter Canal was Britain's first pound-lock canal. The Exe was tidal as far as Exeter up until 1282 when the Countess Of Devon (Lady Isabella de Fortibus) decided that a barrier should be placed across the Exe at a place now known as Countess Wear. Ships could at first pass through this barrier but Hugh de Courtney eventually closed the gap in 1311.
Trade was thus forced to pass through Topsham (owned by the Courtneys), where imports and other trade were greatly increased. Petitions to the Crown were made but nothing was done. In 1538, the head of the Coutenays was Henry (marquis of Exeter). He was executed for allegedly conspiring against Henry VIII. His lands were confiscated. Within two years, the City authorities had tried to open the river up to navigation, obtaining an act of parliament in 1540. Attempts were unsuccessful and in 1545 it was decided to build a canal. The churches of the City contributed towards the cost, however work was temporarily abandoned during the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549. In 1563 work recommenced. Exeter Quay Kings Arms Sluice Canal Basin Double Locks Hotel Trenchards Sluice, Old stone work below M5 bridge Topsham Side-Lock House Topsham Side-Lock & Cottage Turf Hotel Turf Locks Canal entrance at Turf The Double Locks, in fact one large lock Topsham side-Lock gate Old lock gate displayed at Turf John Trew from Glamorgan was contracted to build the canal. The western side of the valley was selected to route the original canal rather than excavate the harder rocks to the east. By 1566 the canal was completed. Trews Weir was constructed (1564) in order to raise the river level in order to feed the canal. This marked the original upper entrace to the canal, the lower entrance was via the lower reaches of Matford Brook, just upstream of Countess Wear bridge. Alphin Brook was diverted to follow the line of the canal to enter Matford Brook upstream of the Canal.
This proto-canal was only 3 ft deep and 16 ft wide. Boats could only enter at Matford Brook at high tide by means of a single sluice, rising to the Kings Arms Sluice using 3 pairs of guillotine gates raised by racks beneath which the vessels used to pass. These were called Lower, Middle and Upper Sluice. The locks were the first pound locks to be used in England, although gate design changed later.
This first canal was called the 'Haven' and was only capable of taking craft up to 16 tons. Boats were pulled by 'halers', often the boats crew. This early canal was often leased and suffered neglect at the hands of the leassees as well as water loss through the activities of the mills centred on the river banks.
A leat to a Fulling Mill operated by George Browning, undermined Trews Weir and caused the canal to be closed for repairs for a month because of the water shortage in 1663. The litigation involved here went on forever, with Browning continually trying to operate for 20 years. Goods were transferred to lighters at Topsham prior to making the journey up river and into the canal. It was not a great success. The lighters could only enter the canal at high tide and silting became a problem. During the Civil War (1642-1649), the banks of the canal were severely damaged by galloping horses and extensive repairs were required. In 1671-1676 the canal was deepened and extended towards Topsham via the Exminster Marshes. A single pair of lock gates was built called Topsham Sluice, later becoming Trenchard Sluice after the Keeper. These improvements made it possible for larger vessels to reach Exeter and were completed by Richard Hurd. The stonework that will have been part of Trenchards Sluice can still be seen below the M5 crossing. Picture below. An O.S Map of 1827 shows this sluice / cut and the later cut to Turf. Matford Brook (now incorporating Alphin Brook) was piped under the canal into the river bed. The Canal was again widened and deepened between 1698-1701 to facilitate shipment for Exeter's many manufacturers. Three old lock gates were removed at the Double Locks and replaced with the 'double locks' and the sluice gate upper entrance replaced and moved upstream, becoming known as Kings Arms Sluice after King James I. This post marked the boundary beyond which dues had to be paid to the port of Exeter and displayed the Kings Arms. The gates we see today relieve flooding when river levels are high. Contractor William Bayley scarpered after one year having stolen funds. It was 26 years before the canal now 4 miles long and able to take 150 ton vessels was completed. Daniel Durell completed the work. It was 10 ft deep and 50 ft wide, Double Locks the only passing place. It took 3-4 hours to haul a boat from the lower sluice using halers. Exeter's importance as a centre for the wool trade declined along with the use of the canal. The growth in the industrial use of coal from 1791 saw the canal become important once again.

The canal was extended again to it's present length of 5 miles in 1827 by James Green, the new outlet being at Turf on the estuary, below Topsham. Vessels could therefore avoid Topsham and the need for trans-shipment. These improvements increased the use of the canal considerably, however an act of parliament in 1827 required that Topsham Side-Lock be built opposite Topsham Quay, in order to safeguard the livlihood of Topsham as a port. This was opened in 1837 and measured 88 ft by 25 ft, trans-shipment will have taken place at Topsham Quay. This lock has been closed and derelict since 1976.

There is a picture below. Turf Lock measured 131 ft by 30 ft, allowing 14 ft of draught and 400 tons to enter the canal and Turf Basin. Lighters were required here for trans-shipment to Exeter. The canal basin at Exeter was also built in 1830 allowing ships into Exeter without having to use the quay. There were stables along the canal at the Canal Basin, Double Locks and at Turf to house the horses needed to pull the barges. Towpaths were also incorporated into the canal banks for this purpose.

In order to avoid agricultural land, the route for this last extension was via Exminster Marshes and Exe Estuary mud flats. In order to keep the canal watertight, the sides and the bottom of the waterway had to be grouted and the banks raised in case of high tides in the estuary. Stone work around the lock gates required thousands of timber piles to be sunk into the marsh. This stonework sits on timber beams. The lock gates themselves had an oak frame with elm planking with a wrought iron frame to stiffen the gates. The bottom cill of the gates was elm. Elm was used because the cill is always submerged and elm lasts better under water than oak. The beams were arched to add strength while the heel and mitre posts were very carfully shaped to give a good seal. The gates weighed about 15 tons, part of this was carried on an adjustable roller which ran on a curved rail. Water was let in by raising sluices or paddles in the gate. There is an example of one of these gates on display at Turf. If you visit Topsham side-Lock, the are also some old lock gates that have been left to rot. The Lockhouse here is also of interest. A ferry can be caught from Topsham. Pictures below. James Green also straightened the canal and made an outfall beneath the bed from the Alphin Brook into the River Exe. He lowered the cill of the Double Locks which were built to replace Trew's pound locks. This is in fact a single lock that can house 2 boats. At over 312 ft by 27 ft wide it is the largest manually operated lock in Britain.

The canal prospered until 1844 when the railways arrived in Exeter, however many boats were still using the canal by the turn of the century. Trade declined through WW1. Silting became a problem and self propelled vessels caused damage to the banks with their wash. This rather than true 'silting' will have been the primary source of infill. Shipping picked up in the 1930's with coal, oil, timber, cement and sugar imports but the outbreak of WW2, saw all imports stop except petrol. Towage by horses ceased altogether at this point. The Canal Basin suffered a direct hit and several bombs dropped close to the canal.

After the war traffic slowly increased but never became busy. Commercial traffic finished in 1972 when the Esso oil depot closed on Haven Banks. New lock gates installed at Turf a few years ago have given the canal a new lease of life.

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Stuart Callon Copyright ©2002