Bridge And Lade, Sluice, Leithen Water, Mills, Innerleithen

The weir at Leithen Water in Innerleithen dates back to the 18th century, with additions and alterations made in the mid and late 19th century. It features a submerged stone weir across the river, with a timber-boarded section to the east of an ashlar road bridge. On the west bank of the Leithen Water, there is a large cast-iron opening mechanism and a diverting sluice, accompanied by a stone, concrete, and log slipway. A lade runs south through Innerleithen, equipped with various sluices along its path.

The weir consists of a straight submerged masonry structure with an angled wall to the northeast. The cast-iron opening mechanism on the west river bank includes wheels, one with a handle driving a shank, and features diagonal struts supporting an arm with a timber sluice on iron poles. This is mounted on a masonry base that has undergone later concrete repairs and strengthening work. The sluice gate leads to a timber-lined concrete diverting slip with an overflow to the west.

At right angles to the weir, there is a masonry lade entrance with squared sluice gates, made of coursed stone on the outer elevations and bricks on the inner, topped with low pyramidal caps. The timber-boarded sluice has an iron opening mechanism. A small single segmental-span bridge, which carries the Leithen Water Road over the lade, is located directly behind the sluice gates. This bridge is constructed of squared coursed rubble, featuring a U-plan on the east elevation and a flat wall on the west elevation, with overhanging segmental punch-holed stone coping. The lade, which has some masonry retainers, turns 90 degrees and flows south towards Innerleithen. The lower lade and town sluices are located within Innerleithen Burgh.