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The Tavistock Canal
Morwellham 35mm Archive Images
Devon Great Consols Mine
  1. Industrial Archaeology
  2. Historic Ports and Docklands

Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon

Morwellham Quay is an historic river port on the Devon bank of the River Tamar that was developed during the 19th Century to support the local mining industry. Conservation work commenced in the early 1970s when the site opened as a living history museum.

Your webmaster first visited in 1976 and was a very regular visitor during the 1970s to late 1990s though my visits tailed off in the naughties.

Shortly after significant refurbishment work took place following National Lottery funding Devon County Council withdrew support Morwellham went into administration. It was subsequently sold to the proprietors of Bicton Gardens.

Though the Museum is no longer operated by a charitable trust, it remains open to the public though some of the features such as the farm are no longer accessible to visitors.

In July 2006, UNESCO (the cultural arm of the United Nations) awarded World Heritage Site status to the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape area. Morwellham is strategically sited at the centre of the Tamar Valley Mining District which, together with nearby Tavistock, forms the easternmost gateway area to the rest of the World Heritage Site.

The industrial Heritage museum is an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage.

Morwellham Quay and Farm is well known from the BBC TV History Series "Edwardian Farm" which was shown in 2010 - around the time the original Museum operation encountered financial difficulties following the withdrawal of support from Devon County Council.

Today most of the original site is operated by the proprietors of Bicton Gardens a well known tourist attraction in east Devon, however, the farm which featured significantly in the BBC TV series no longer forms part of the museum.
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  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    The Lime Kilns

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    View to the Ship Inn and slate hung house and shop. Double flanged tracks of the Tavistock Canal tramway, uncovered by archaeologists in the 1980s, can be seen on the left.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    Interior of the The Lime Burner's Cottage which became known as "Ruth's Cottage" during the BBC TV series Edwardian Farm. This cottage was incorrectly interpreted by the Museum in its early years and is in fact a Sampler's House & Laboratory who was employed to sample ores from the local mines.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    The Lime Burner's Cottage which became known as "Ruth's Cottage" during the BBC TV series Edwardian Farm. This cottage was incorrectly interpreted by the Museum in its early years and is in fact a Sampler's House & Laboratory who was employed to sample ores from the local mines.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    The Old (Medieval) Dock which became the Tavistock Canal Company Dock. In the late 2000s extensive archaeological work was undertaken around this area.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    The Blacksmith's Shop with Manganese Mill waterwheel beyond.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    The Manganese and Arsenic Store and dock

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - August 25, 2002

    The 32 feet overshot Managese Mill Waterwheel is a centre piece of Morwellham Quay. It once powered the Managanese Mill. The original wheel is believed to have been installed in the early 19th Century. The current wheel was erected in 1975 having been recovered from a Cornish china clay works. It was refurbished during the winter of 2008-9.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Great Dock and Garlandstone from where ore from the Devon Greart Consols Mine would be shipped. The railway was reconstructed around the harbour area at the start of the 1980s.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Great Dock and Garlandstone from where ore from the Devon Greart Consols Mine would be shipped. The railway was reconstructed around the harbour area at the start of the 1980s.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Great Dock and Garlandstone from where ore from the Devon Greart Consols Mine would be shipped. The railway was reconstructed around the harbour area at the start of the 1980s.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Great Dock and Garlandstone from where ore from the Devon Greart Consols Mine would be shipped. The railway was reconstructed around the harbour area at the start of the 1980s.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Great Dock which was restored at the end of the 1970s. However, as the orginal dredging system fed by a stream is no longer functional it suffers from quite rapid silting as can be seen here.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Great Dock which was restored at the end of the 1970s. However, as the orginal dredging system fed by a stream is no longer functional it suffers from quite rapid silting as can be seen here.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Great Dock which was restored at the end of the 1970s. However, as the orginal dredging system fed by a stream is no longer functional it suffers from quite rapid silting as can be seen here.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Great Dock which was restored at the end of the 1970s. However, as the orginal dredging system fed by a stream is no longer functional it suffers from quite rapid silting as can be seen here.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Great Dock which was restored at the end of the 1970s. However, as the orginal dredging system fed by a stream is no longer functional it suffers from quite rapid silting as can be seen here.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The slipway

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Following the restoration of the Tamar sailing barge LYNHER at Morwellham another boatbuilding project was noted to be underway in 2006 though I am unsure of the identity of this vessel.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Following the restoration of the Tamar sailing barge LYNHER at Morwellham another boatbuilding project was noted to be underway in 2006 though I am unsure of the identity of this vessel.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The Cooperage Building with the Blacksmith's Shop on the right.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The 32 feet overshot Managese Mill Waterwheel is a centre piece of Morwellham Quay. It once powered the Managanese Mill. The original wheel is believed to have been installed in the early 19th Century. The current wheel was erected in 1975 having been recovered from a Cornish china clay works. It was refurbished during the winter of 2008-9.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    View towards the Old (Medieval) Dock later the Tavistock Canal Company Dock. On the right is the slate hung Port Manager's House. The railway track was reinstated in the 1980s. It is not the original and is laid on the course of the Tavistock Canal Tramway.

  • Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    Morwellham Quay, River Tamar, Devon - April 16, 2006

    The small lime kiln behind the Ship Inn

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