Mrs. Beatrice McClellan White (1898 – 1969), of Longbridge Deverill, writing in 1960 on the subject of Crockerton, referred to Shearwater as follows:
On the west side of Crockerton there is the beautiful lake of Shearwater. This is not strictly a natural lake, but a dam which takes the form of a road built in 1791 across from north to south, to dam back the stream and water of several springs.
This lake is very deep, being 40 feet in places. Whether it was a natural valley or disused pit or quarry I am not quite sure but it is very beautiful, especially in the summer, as it is completely surrounded by rhododendrons and azaleas.
There was a very quaint, thatched boathouse and stables there, but these were entirely destroyed by fire in 1937.
During the summer months literally thousands of visitors visit Shearwater and drive round the lake on their way to Longleat about three miles further on.
There have been a number of tragedies on the lake, two outstanding being one of the young sons of the Marquess of Bath, whose yacht capsized and he was drowned; the other was two young boys who were skating when the ice broke and one of them went in – his friend who was there as well and was a strong swimmer went in to try and rescue him, but it was dark and they both drowned.