The pond was created for landowner John Knight around 1830 but its purpose is unknown.
Known locally as Pinkery Pond, it was created for landowner John Knight in about 1830, by damming the headwaters of the River Barle. Knight, an ironmaster from Worcestershire, bought the mineral rights to the Forest of Exmoor from the Crown in 1818.
Emerging from theTunnel at Pinkery Pond Dam
image supplied by kind permission of Somerset Tourism, Somerset County Council
It is thought the pond formed part of an aborted engineering project in which it would supply a canal or leat to power a large waterwheel planned for a site nearer Simonsbath. The wheel was to assist the operation of an inclined railway carrying iron ore from Exmoor to Porlock Weir. Neither the canal nor the railway were ever built. John Knight retired to Rome and Frederick, his son, continued to build farms on the moor and improve the land
Pinkworthy Pond
Pinkery Pond Dam
Pinkery Pond
They have only pulled the pull on the reservoir twice to look for bodies. The first time in 1889 when they found the body of Farmer Gammon. His pony was left tied to the bank and his clothes lay beside it. It is thought that he killed himself for being jilted in love. The second time they found nothing.
I am informed that Pinkery Pond has not been fished for many years. Being in such a remote location, it has few, if any, fish of its own. It is a very deep pond, and so any fish that were present, would tend to go into the deep water and be very difficult to catch.
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