Monument record 3298/1/1 - Medieval/Post Medieval Dam

Remains of dam, probably post medieval.

{1} The site has been measured and drawn by A.E.Brown. It consists of a dam 210 paces long, built at right angles to the stream which it has diverted in the form of a dog leg. There are traces of Flaggy Limestone revetting in the central breach or sluice, and again, where the stream has cut into the bank. This has exposed an interesting section of alternating layers of dark brown soil, orange soil with some limestone, light brown soil and so on. The site is in permanent pasture and in good condition.

{2} The large embankment of a dam 190m long x 25m wide and up to 3.5m high, broken towards the north end to allow the existing stream to pass through. The date and purpose of the dam are not known. It is marked on a parish map of 1842, and although not shown on the earlier one of 1760 the adjacent field was then known as 'Pightle by Dam'. Immediately below the dam is a slightly embanked enclosure. This feature is the remains of an early 20th century club house and garden belonging to the adjacent derelict golf course. Earthwork plan Fig 164.

{3} FNAME: DAM HILL/WASHBROOK MOORS.

{4} EWK; DAM; A LARGE EMBANKMENT 190M LONG X 25M WIDE X 3.5M HIGH; DATE & PURPOSE UNKNOWN; SHOWN ON 1842 MAP (NRO) BUT NOT ON A 1760 MAP; BUT ADJACENT FIELD WAS THEN CALLED "A PIGHTLE BY DAM"; BELOW THE DAM IS AN ENCLOSURE, THE SITE OF A CLUB HOUSE FOR A FORMER GOLF COURSE; FIELDNAMES SUGGEST THE SITE OF A POSSIBLE FULLING MILL.

{6} SP 87405837. Pond bay; with adjacent drift quarrying to the east.

{7} This site was previously recorded as SP 85 NE (M) 4.

<1> Steane J.M., 1971, The Medieval Fishpond of Northamptonshire, p.310 (checked) (Journal). SNN30821.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.184 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<3> 1932, Fieldnames Overlays (general-needs sorting out into OS quarter sheets), (unchecked) (Map). SNN10076.

<4> Taylor P., 1992, Fishponds Report 1992, (checked) (Report). SNN1339.

<5> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<6> Baird, J., 1970, Field investigators comments, F1 JB 08-SEP-70 (Notes). SNN110341.

<7> ORAL REPORT, R1 ESL 06-NOV-91 (Oral Report). SNN53287.

<8> 1760, Map of Yardley Hastings (Map). SNN32380.

<8> 1842, Yardley Hastings Map (Map). SNN32381.

<9> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, AP (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926 4006-7) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<10> RCHME, Undated, RCHME Inventory: Northamptonshire II (Central), 889969/AF0615738 (Archive). SNN112900.

Record last edited

Mar 23 2022 3:53PM