THE CHARLESTOWN LEAT AND PONDS 1794.

Charles Rashleigh understood that a constant supply of running water was essential for his basin for shipping. The new port could not function without it. When a ship entered the dock at high tide, its keel would nearly touch the bottom. As it began to take on cargo, it would settle deeper into the water, eventually resting on the bottom. Grounding could cause significant damage, so it was crucial to maintain a supply of water to replenish the harbour with water as cargo was being loaded. This process was known as “ luffing up.” Any water added during the loading process would be lost again when the gates were opened, which happened at every high tide during that time. So twice a day.  Before the gates could be opened, the water levels on both sides had to be equalised. A sluice was used to achieve this balance

Rashleigh acquired land at Menacuddle, St Austell, in 1787, with the idea of using the Vinnick River, locally known as the 'White River,' to supplement his dock. The area was predominantly woodland, located in a steep-sided valley. It is possible that Rashleigh considered Pentewan as a potential site for his harbour. Porthpean, situated just one mile west of Charlestown, was also a likely candidate due to the good shelter it offered for shipping. However, due to issues with poor road access, Polmear was ultimately selected as the site.

In 1794, a port ‘leat’ was dug by hand. When it was constructed, it extended seven miles from Lavrean Moor near Luxulyan, to the northeast of the port, to Charlestown. Portions of this watercourse were routed underground for some distance. This was due to landowners refusing to allow the leat to be driven through their land. Upon entering the village, the leat criss-crossed the road and powered multiple waterwheels in Mill Lane, as well as at Polmear Mine and the foundry, before flowing into the ponds.

While the port leat was being cut, two large storage ponds were excavated to a depth of 40 feet. These ponds were located less than half a mile Northwest of the dock. During the Victorian era, the surrounding area was adorned with magnificent Monterey Pines. These pines were imported through Kew by Charles Rashleigh. The upper pond is situated opposite the entrance to Church Lane, while the lower pond is adjacent to Duporth Road. These ponds were designed to channel water for frequent cleaning.

They were drained biannually, with the water being diverted to whichever sluice was needed. This flow of water helped wash away accumulated silt and debris. The design was ingenious, as it allowed the silt from the upper pond to be washed down into the lower pond. The process was then repeated to clear out the lower pond, carrying the silt and debris down to the dock. Consequently, the dock needed to be closed for an average of five weeks to facilitate this cleaning process, which typically occurred in spring when the wooden gates were in place.

During this time, the gates were left open, and horses and carts were brought to the dock at low tide to collect mud and clay. This material was then transported to the far end of the beach for disposal.

An article in the Cornish Guardian from January 1909 stated, "The work of cleansing the old pond at Charlestown, undertaken every two years by the Charlestown proprietors, is now being proceeded with."

“The ponds, which are forty feet deep and cover several acres of ground, accumulate thousands of tons of clay over the course of two years. Unfortunately, no effective methods have been devised to preserve the clay, and hundreds of pounds' worth is washed out to sea. Interestingly, an elderly man, over seventy years old, has been involved in maintaining the pond for the past 20 years.”

Above, the 1842 Tithe map showing the ponds and leats. It also shows the three smaller ponds up Brick Hill

To keep the system of waterways functioning, a man known as the "Leat Man" was employed. The last person to hold this position was John Dove, who retired in 2004. Since then, the system has received little to no maintenance, especially at the top end near Luxulyan, which has not seen any attention during this time. The dock is no longer utilised for shipping; instead, a diesel pump now draws seawater from outside the gates into the dock. As a result, the leat has become redundant.

The job of the Leat Man was quite solitary. He spent long hours knee-deep in water, shovelling out silt and clearing blockages. In the old days, the leat man had a horse and cart and a handsaw. The modern leat man had a van and a chainsaw. Children intentionally created some of the blockages. Charlestown’s penultimate harbour master and Estate foreman, Graham Brabyn, referred to these children as the "Engineers," among other names. Every two years, in January, the estate workforce, which once numbered 23, would assist the Leat Man for an entire month to clean the entire leat system from end to end. During this operation, sluice doors were replaced, fallen trees were removed, and the ponds were emptied. This process ensured a continuous flow of valuable water to the head of the dock.

Water flow was controlled by a small winding house located in Barkhouse Lane. After the arrival or departure of a vessel, the gates would be closed, and the sluice from the ponds would be opened to fill the dock to within a foot of the top. This significant volume of water provided extra protection against severe weather conditions by increasing the pressure behind the gate. During spring tides, this water was crucial for flushing out the outer basin at low water. This practice was carried out reliably at every spring tide. This practice is also redundant

The bottom pond had enough water to fill the dock three times over, while the top pond contained enough water to fill the bottom pond three times. This arrangement ensured a constant flow of water to the port 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. However, during the summer of 1887, the region experienced a severe drought that caused both ponds to dry out.

In the 1970s,  children enjoyed playing "up pond," always on alert for Bill Doe, the harbour master, or Donald Littleton, the Estate foreman, who regularly checked the sluices. Being caught meant serious trouble, as the pond system was the private property of Charlestown Estate. Signage was posted at strategic locations to remind the public of this fact, and the Estate was very intolerant of anyone caught trespassing. Families in the village, as tenants of Charlestown Estates Ltd., felt compelled to comply. I remember my grandmother and mother strictly warning that if we were caught, we would be thrown out of our house.

 Above, the top water storage pond.

The top pond, being farther away, was considered safer, as checks were less frequent. It had a magical quality, particularly with the island sitting in the middle. Band concerts were held on the island in Victorian times. It was originally accessed via a wooden boardwalk. Sir Noel Coward, a frequent visitor to the village as a child, described it in his autobiography. His aunt Laura lived at Pond House, also known as Bulteel’s. He wrote, "I spent the rest of the day exploring the lake and the garden; the spell of its beauty was as strong as ever, and I was very happy. There was an old blue punt, still waterlogged, the deep, wide lake coffee-coloured due to the clay soil, and the mysterious, damp-smelling jungle beside it.

If one ventures off the path at the western extremity of the bottom pond and heads in a south-westerly direction through the woods adjoining Brick Hill, there can be found three small ponds.  These ponds measure approximately 100 feet x 50 feet x 5 ft deep and are oblong in shape.  I think these ponds were built for early brickmaking. These were built at the turn of the 19th century.  A water source flows into it.   It seems its source is below ground today; originally, it was an offshoot from the leat at the top pond. This leat can be clearly seen on the early 1842 tithe map of Charlestown.