A collection of walks, discoveries, insights and pictures of exploring Dartmoor National Park
February 4, 2025
Blackabrook Clapper (and Road Bridge)
A large section, notably between Merrivale Bridge and Statts Bridge, of the ancient Trans Dartmoor Packhorse Track between Chagford to Tavistock was superseded by the Turnpike Road constructed in 1772. Today, this road is the B3357. The Duke of Bedford’s turnpike act of 1772 resulted in the construction of the road across the moor which was known as Carter’s Road after the name of the contractor. A weekly market and successful wool trade in Chagford would have contributed to much trans moorland travel which used the Packhorse Track. On the route of this ancient moorland track is a (perhaps) less well known Clapper Bridge across the Blackabrook between Two Bridges and Rundlestone. Did this clapper play any part in the aforementioned ancient track, even if it were used only as a footbridge?
The ancient Packhorse Track was part of a longer route which ran from Exeter through to Truro(e) and which was shown on Ogilby’s 1675 copperplate road map and Senex coloured reproduction and enhancement of Ogilby’s work c.1757. Of note, on both Ogilby’s and Senex’s work is that the the Packhorse Track crossing of Blackabrook (or Blackbrook), is clearly shown between the ‘Great Stone of Roundle’ (Rundlestone), the crossing of the West Dart via a stone bridge and a little further east ‘A Hill of Rock called Crockha’ Tor’. On both the Ogilby and Senex maps the crossing of the Blackabrook is annotated as number 27 and appear to suggest there was only a ford and no bridge there.
The small clapper has or at least had two spans and was looks most likely to only have been a footbridge, given its width. Perhaps this is the reason why it wasn’t recorded by either Ogilby or Senex ? Dating the bridge is difficult as it does not appear on any map (OS, Ogilby, Senex or others). It could date equally from post-Medieval period through to late 19th or even early 20th century, but more that likely to be from the 18th or 19th centuries.
There are a couple of features of interest on the road bridge, namely an inscribed date and a benchmark with a rivet. These features pose a few questions regarding their history and their relation to the bridge when considered against OS maps of the 19th and 20th centuries. These questions are considered in this post
These three maps span 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and none show the two span clapper bridge. The Ogilby (1675) and Senex (1757) maps annotating the Blackabrook crossing as number 27, just down from ‘A Great Stone called Roundle’ (Rundlestone). The Great Stone of Roundle was a 7ft upright which had an ‘R’ inscribed on it. Crossing claims the stone was broken up and built into a nearby wall.The modern B3212 road bridge across the Blackabrook and the clapper below to the southThe two span clapper bridge A single decking stone rests on the western abutment and central pier. John Ogilby was one of the finest mapmakers of his day. The above map is part of the first Ogilby survey of the roads of England and Wales, which comprised of 102 copper plates and 200 pages of text. His maps were engraved on strips representing bands of ribbon of about 2.5 inches in width. On most plates six strip maps are given; but in some cases (like the Exeter to Truro) one there are seven. The Blackabrook crossing is the third strip from the left, at the very bottom.Close up of the clapperJust down stream from the clapper to the east (left side of river as seen in the photograph), there looks like the possible remnants of a ford. Equally, it might have been a place for cattle / sheep to drink given the close proximity to the former Prison Farm. The size of the ford does look too small to have been a major part of the original Trans Dartmoor Packhorse TrackThis road map was an original copperplate engravings by John Senex c1757 after John Ogilby (1675) with fine hand-colouring. This map was a revised, improved & reduced to a size map being “Portable for the Pocket”. Comparing the Exeter to Truro maps between Ogilby and Senex, differences can be seen with the later map being less exuberant in depiction of hills. The Blackabrook crossing is the third strip from the left, at the very bottom.The modern bridge parapet, the clapper and the possible fordThe Blackabrook from the modern road bridge looking north. Note the large wall constructed on the east bank – this was the ‘Conchie’s Wall’Plan of the former field names of the former Prison Farm. The clapper being located between ‘Philips Field’ and ‘Bog Field’Another view of the Blackabrook and ‘Conchie’s Wall’. Conchie’s Road near Bull Park and to the north of Royal Hill is a well known to many Dartmoor explorers, which was constructed by Dartmoor Prison’s Conscientious Objectors of The Great War between 1917 -1919, being seemingly pointless work in the guise of being of ‘National Importance’. Conchie’s wall was constructed in a similar vain. The wall seems to be wider and taller than any comparable wall in central DartmoorComparing the Tithe Map from 1839 and an OS map from 1949-1974. A bridge looks extant in 1839 and by 1949 a benchmark on the north side of the bridge is located on the east side of the Blackabrook. Of interest, is the bridge has an inscribed date of ‘1872’ in the middle of the northern parapet. The ‘1872’ inscription, which was discovered during bridge strengthening work which was carried out in 1993. Does the date of 1872 represent anything significant regarding the bridge? It may be that the date represents a bridge improvement. The bridge was extant in 1839.Enhancing the inscription with mud. Note the conchies wall to the right (east) of the bridge. The inscription is located at SX58806 74973What is interesting about this inscription is that it is sculptured (chamfered) into the block on the parapet. The author speculation is that the inscription not only represents the date of major change but how it has been implemented may have been as a result of ‘cutting out a benchmark’Analysing OS maps from 19th and 20th centuries of the benchmark provide some confusion. From 1873 to 1915 (top two maps), the benchmark is located on the east end of the bridge (where it is today) and it variously numbered B.M 1296.7 and B.M 1298.10 + 1296. A previous OS Map shown in this post also shows it being at the east end of the bridge (between the dates 1949-1974). So why is the OS Map dated 1944-1974 (bottom map) show it in the centre of the bridge (where the ‘1872’ inscription is) with the annotation B.M 1301.2 ? Very perculiar.Benchmark with rivet at east end of the bridgeThe enhanced benchmark. It is more or less in line with conchies wall. It is located at SX58812 74974The reference annotation for this benchmark is unclear. Is it B.M 1296.7 or B.M 1298.10 + 1296 due to its location? It certainly isn’t B.M 1301.2, as that one appears to have (or at least identified as) being in the centre of the bridge.
