MORE than 100 guests attended this year’s Dulverton Weir and Leat Conservation Trust’s garden party.

The annual gathering, which is a major fund-raiser for the trust, was held in the grounds of Marsh Hill House by permission of Mr and Mrs Simon Shirley-Beavan.

The guests were given an update on progress with the project and a substantial sum was raised for the trust’s activities.

Among the guests was trust patron Lord Dulverton and Deputy Lord Lieutenants of Somerset Robert Drewett and Jennifer Duke.

Somerset High Sheriff Robert Beckley, Somerset Council chairman Cllr Mike Best, and Taunton Mayor Cllr Vanessa Garside also attended.

The dried-up leat in Dulverton last month.
The dried-up leat in Dulverton last month. ( )

The new West Somerset MP Rachel Gilmour was represented by Johnny Forshall, and there were also representatives from project partners Westcountry Rivers Trust, Somerset Council, British Canoeing, Exmoor National Park Authority, The Exmoor Society, and Dulverton Town Council.

The trust is working to save the town’s medieval weir and leat on the River Barle from collapse and to restore them to good condition and conserve them for future generations.

Guests at the annual garden party fund-raiser for DWLCT.
Guests at the annual garden party fund-raiser for DWLCT. ( )

They are recognised as ‘the best preserved medieval leat in England’, originally built using oak stake and boulder technology introduced by the Normans.

Last month, the leat ran dry during one weekend, which the trust had predicted and was behind the cancellation of this year’s art and kinetic sculpture exhibition.

Several site meetings were held by the trust and unitary council with contractors to discuss both permanent and temporary repairs to the weir to prevent the leat running dry again.