Lady Susan, wife of the third Lord Exmouth, came up with a project to occupy miners whose jobs were underthreat – putting them to work building the Canonteign Falls
A towering waterfall that was built to save miners from joblessness is the tallest of its kind in the UK.
In the 1880s, the silver and tin mines which had made Exmouth in Devon very prosperous, were under threat of closure. Upset by the idea of the miners who had excavated the land losing their jobs, Lady Susan, wife of the third Lord Exmouth, came up with a project to occupy them.
The aristocrat put the miners to work forging a waterfall out of a rocky outcrop. The team of hardened axe-wielders redirected the existing waterway which had provided for the sawmill and mines towards an exposed tower of stones that lie just a few metres away.
The finished project was a great success. Water flowed dramatically over the top of the rocky pile and plunged 70m down. The spectacle would be named Lady Exmouth Falls after its benefactor. As well as the main waterfall itself there are also some smaller waterfalls, rock formations, fern gardens and lakes. All of them remain busy landmarks to this day.
Those who fancy visiting can take advantage of our history-walking tour every Thursday and Sunday, where you can learn even more about the Estate’s fascinating past.
“The climb to Lady Exmouth’s falls takes you on a journey through Canonteign’s past. From the site of the old sawmill you pass Clampitt Falls, named after the brothers who built the original leat diverting water to the millwheel. Through the woods, you’ll emerge to your first sight of the 70 metre waterfall before continuing your climb up through the Secret Garden,” the Canonteign Falls official website reads.
“Ninety original Victorian Steps lead to the Fern Garden, before you cross the bridge at Devil’s Leap – the site of the natural falls. A little further up and you’ll emerge onto the viewing platform at the very top of the valley to watch the water cascade over the edge towards the rest of the Estate. The path down takes you through ancient woodland to the Lily Lake, old Orchard and Bee Garden and to the 30m Zip Wire and Mini-Assault Course.”
Alex Gwillim, a local expert from Sweetcombe Cottage Holidays, added, “Canonteign Falls is a beautiful natural attraction located in the heart of Devon, home to the South West’s highest waterfall. If you want to go for a peaceful walk, it’s the perfect location to venture past the waterfalls and lakes, or through the fern gardens and woodlands.”
Canonteign Falls may be impressive, but they are not the tallest human-made falls in the world. That honour belongs to The Cascata delle Marmore, or Marmore Falls, in Italy which reaches 165 meters tall. The ancient Romans built it in 271 BC. A more modern design can be found in Guiyang, Guizhou, where the mixed-use skyscraper Liebian International Plaza has a 108 meter waterfall on one side.
