Plans have been made for the historic Dulverton Weir’s restoration
Plans for restoring a medieval weir that suffered significant flooding damage have been created.
The plan at Dulverton Weir in Exmoor would rebuild the original design with additional passes to aid fish migration.
Additionally, a second pass for canoeists would be integrated.
The project’s overall cost may be close to £1 million, according to Philip Hull, chair of the Dulverton Weir & Leat Conservation Trust board of trustees.
“With the new unified council, we will start raising money and obtaining regulatory clearances in 2023. We have the drawings and the costs.
We anticipate beginning construction on the structure in the river by 2024, he added.
The remaining medieval portion of the weir will be unrecognizable from the modern structure, which will have a concrete core, Mr. Hull continued.
According to the trust that looks after it, although records are inconclusive, it is thought that Dulverton Weir may have been constructed in the 11th or 12th Century.
It was constructed using the leat (a man-made water channel), which continues to flow through Dulverton separately from the River Barle. It is approximately 160 meters (525 feet) long.
Nine textile industry mills were once served by it for their water supply.
The weir will be further modernized as part of the restoration, along with passes for fish and canoes and space built-in for research tools, including pollution monitoring sensors.