History

The canal was cut between 1790 and 1792 by James Templer II who inherited Stover House and the estate from his father, James Templer 1.
It was used to carry Ball Clay from the Bovey Basin to the port of Teignmouth thereby avoiding the tortuous overland route on unmade roads via Kingsteignton.
Ball clay is treasured for its fineness and pure white appearance when fired. It was first used in the manufacture of clay pipes after tobacco became popular in the 1500’s. The Wedgwood potteries opened in 1759 and became large comsumers the clay. The clay was extracted by many small mining concerns and taken to the canal by pack horse and carts.
When James Templer II died, the estate was taken over by his son George who , in the 1820’s, exploited the family quarries at Haytor. He constructed the novel ‘Granite Tramway’ to carry granite blocks to Ventiford for export to London. There it was used in many notable buildings of the time.

The canal was well used until the 1860’s when the railway was opened between Newton Abbot and Moretonhampstead, taking away the barge repair yard at Teigngrace in the process. Thereafter tonnage carried on the canal steadily reduced and ceased in 1939. Nature slowly reclaimed the canal until 1999 when the Stover Canal Society was formed to preserve the line and features of the canal for future generations. The Society became a Trust to enable grant funding to be sought for restoration of the canal.