An artificial lake of about 1.2 hectares, formed by the damming of the headwaters of the River Barle in c. 1830. The pond can be drained by the removal of wooden plugs in pipes in the dam wall. A large scale metric survey of Pinkery Pond environs was undertaken in 2012 as part of the Exmoor Mires Project. Pinkworthy (or Pinkery) Pond is an artificial body of water which measures 170 metres north-south and 100 metres east-west. This is located high up on the south side of the Chains, created by the construction of a massive earth and stone dam (MEM22686) across the headwaters of the River Barle. The earthwork measures 105 metres east-west, 54 metres north-south; with a height of 15.4 metres on the south side and 6.8 metres on the north side. It was constructed by c. 1830 by John Knight. The north – reservoir – side of the dam has a stone revetment wall (the wave wall). This is a drystone wall 72 metres long, 1 metre wide (visible) and 0.8 metres high. At the northeast end of the dam the wall turns and becomes a revetment wall for a substantial drainage channel. A similar wall, now rather eroded, lies on the other side of the channel, the channel is now used for access to the water’s edge. A sluice or spillway measuring 37 metres long, 3 metres wide and 2.3 metres deep lies at the southeast corner of the body of water. At present this serves to keep the level of the reservoir at just below the base of the wave wall. An iron pipe with flanged ends lies in at the entrance to the channel. The south side of the dam has a revetment wall with a drainage channel on its west side. The foot of the dam has been dug into, probably to provide material to reinforce the east side where the spillway carries water from the reservoir into the River Barle. Here a stone wall diverts water away from the base of the dam and into a rock cut channel. There is little known documentary evidence as to the original purpose of Pinkery Pond but several theories have been advanced; it is suggested by Hazel Riley that John Knight constructed the Pond to provide a body of water to power agricultural machinery for his new farms, but this scheme was unrealised as the difficulties of arable farming on this part of Exmoor became evident. May have been intended to feed Pinkery Canal.
Age: moderate of its time
Rarity: unique in some senses, not uncommon as a reservoir type feature but early (c1820) and function not entirely understood
Distinctive Design: Limited – fairly standard dam construction?
Historical Association: High with Knight Estate
Evidential Value: will contain more evidence for its construction
Social Communal Value: Well known landmark and destination
Group Value: associated with Pinkery Canal and features associated with early Knight reclamation of the Royal Forest
Collective Value: One of a group of features strongly associated with the ‘reclamation’ of the former Royal Forest by the Knights