The Glen Stream divides in The Lower Glen. The reason for this was to provide relatively clean running water for New Street and the High Street in Honiton town centre by means of a leat or artificial watercourse known as the Glen Water. Dipping places were constructed along the leat where the water could be dipped out. The London and South Western Railway Company made provision for the leat (and a similar leat near King's Road) to pass under the railway line being constructed in the 1850's from Yeovil to Exeter. Old photographs show the Glen Water flowing beside The Star Inn in New Street and even older photographs show it downstream from the King Street junction; all the Glen Water flowing down New Street was piped by the 1930's.
At present the final section of the Glen Water leat before it rejoins the Glen Stream. The conifer in the distance is approximately where the lowest section of the leat in The Glen was piped in the 1970s.
The Glen Water as it reaches a limiter designed by the Borough Surveyor in the 1930s to prevent too much water reaching the town centre.
The Glen Water and another of the town streams in Honiton, the Hale Water, have also been called town lakes or the River Crystal. Prior to the formation of Honiton Borough Council in 1847 the streams were maintained by The Surveyors of the Town Lakes.
Copyright Honiton Glen Conservation Group (The Friends of The Glen) 2013-2024.