From Facebook’s ‘East Devon Past’:
“I found this report relating to the old harbour at Budleigh, I knew that boats used to navigate up the Otter estuary to the mills at Newton Poppleford. Anyway it seems that Lord Rolle was a bit of a rogue and dammed up the harbour to increase his expanse of land but put an end to the use of larger boats on the Otter. So not only did he remove the Sidmouth stones but he took away the harbour for his own gain.”😵
Western Times 1858:
East Devon Watch 
Whilst I deplore the act of Rolle I doubt boats went above Otterton after that weir was constructed. Then there is the ancient Dotton weir above that before one could reach Newton Pop. Another sizeable weir at Tipton and no doubt others.
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