Monument record 305/0/2 - Medieval/ post medieval fishponds

Six fishponds including some of medieval origin.

{1} A group of 6 ponds, although perhaps only four or five of them are medieval in origin. The two lower ponds appear to be medieval and largely unaltered. They are rectangular depressions, 1.5m deep, cut down into the valley bottom. The adjacent one to the south west is larger, with a low rectangular island within it, and has probably been altered in the 18th century. The pond to the south west again has certainly been changed in outine and has a more irregular foem, again with a low long island within it. The fifth pond, of roughly triangular shape, appears to be entirely of post medieval design. The south-westernmost pond, some distance upstream, is 1.5m deep and bounded by a massive dam 2m high on its north east side. Again, if it is medieval in origin it has been altered at a later date. All six ponds are shown on a map of 1806 and the field to the north was then called Fisher's Close. On a later amp of 1851 the ponds are termed 'fishponds'.

{5} Ponds at SP 5357 4488 and SP 5353 4486 were fully cleared out during 1980s.

Aerial photos NCCAP: SP5344/1-3

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.148/Site 4 (unchecked) (Series). SNN77382.

<2> 1806, Thorpe Mandeville Estate Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN9834.

<3> 1851, MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN9831.

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

<5> Cadman, G.E., 1993, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN50004.

<6> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, A/P (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1994, 1025-7) (Photographs). SNN104890.

Record last edited

Oct 12 2023 9:42AM