Monument record 4195/1 - Possible medieval/ post medieval watermill, northwest of Warren Lodge Farm

Enclosure, dam and pond. Possibly the site of a medieval watermill with adjacent ridge and furrow.

{1} SP 873762 Dam lies across the former course of a small stream on clay at 91 metres above OD and 300 metres. North west of Warren Lodge Farm. The dam is 10 metres wide and up to 2.5 metres high, with a well-marked ledge on the upstream side. At its south west end it turns south east and extends as a low scarp along the edge of Dingley Warren Wood for about 100 metres before fading out. There is a similar scarp on the other side of the valley which also runs south east but for a longer distance. These scarps mark the edge of the former pond behind the dam. Above it to the east is a modern channel which carries the water round the north east of the dam. Between this channel and the adjacent ridge-and-furrow is an old track leading to the dam. The original course of the stream is still visible in the valley bottom as a winding depression. To the south west of it is a block of short ridge-and-furrow 5 metres wide which overlies the scarped edge of the former pond and is therefore later than it. Traces of similar ridge-and-furrow exist north east of the course of the stream in the bottom of the pond. Below it and north of the dam are other slight earthworks. The field was known as Warren Hill Meadow in 1839 {2}. The site may be that of a medieval watermill, with the mill itself at the north east end of the dam, powered by the present stream. However the pond must have had a different function and was perhaps a fishpond. The overlying ridge-and furrow may represent later cultivation of the area or may indicate a rotation of arable and fish farming.

{4} The plan given by source {1} indicates that easting and northing have been inadvertently switched. Correct NGR is SP 762 873.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.35/Site 3 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> 1839, Dingley Tithe Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN28281.

<3> Taylor P., 1992, Fishponds Report 1992, (checked) (Report). SNN1339.

<4> Historic England, Unknown, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments, Lee E S 21-OCT-1991 RCHME Recording (Oral Report). SNN111577.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:16PM