The Boat Float

The Boat Float in Dartmouth is an enclosed mooring area that may have parts dating back to 1585, with the northern side likely from around 1685. Major renovations were carried out around 1889 by engineer WN Bidder, whose original plans and elevations from 1879 are displayed in Dartmouth Museum. The structure is built of limestone with some granite, primarily using coursed blocks with ashlar kerbs and steps, and includes a cast-iron bridge.

The Boat Float is a trapezoidal space designed for mooring small boats, surrounded by reclaimed land on the north, west, and south sides, while the east side features the South Embankment, also from around 1889. Here, a road crosses a channel that connects the float to the River Dart. A flight of steps leads down to the water on the west side, and there is a ramp on the east side. The walls consist of roughly-cut blocks laid in courses, with noticeable variations in style. The west wall uses larger blocks and is vertical down to a projecting plinth, while the other walls have slight batters and lack plinths.

On the east and south sides, the original kerb has been replaced with 20th-century concrete; the northern kerb remains but is covered with concrete, while the intact western kerb is made of granite and features sandstone slabs over the bridge. Towards the western end of the northern wall, there is a small blocked arch, and the gap on the east side has been lined with 20th-century concrete. The bridge is supported by a pair of large cast-iron girders with a flat segmental arch below. The Boat Float serves as a focal point for the Quay/Butterwalk area of Dartmouth and holds significant historical interest, as the southern and western sides functioned as the main quay since 1585, with the southern side known as Spithead in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the northern area being reclaimed around 1685. The float was fully enclosed around 1889 with the construction of the South Embankment.