Ballast Pond

The Ballast Pond, also known as the ballast pound, was built in 1783 by the Admiralty. It is constructed from slatestone rubble with Devon limestone copings and has a square plan with an entrance on the east side. The walls rise about 2 metres high on the landward side and are deeper on the seaward side, with overall dimensions of approximately 80 metres square and wall thickness of about 2 metres. The walls are battered and feature dressed stone copings, while the inner side has stepped walls that create the appearance of a string course. The top of the pond is paved with stone setts and includes cast iron mooring rings at intervals. The entrance on the east side is about 10 metres wide, with round-headed ends to the walls. The quality of the masonry is high.

The pond was likely constructed to provide shelter for lighters, which were boats used to transport ballast (stone and sand in the 18th century) when repairs were made to ships. This allowed the lighters to remain in dock without needing to unload until the ballast was required again.