Monument record 4908/0/1 - Medieval fishponds, Dallington

Three Medieval fishponds (remains), landscaped in the 18th century

{1} Fishponds (SP 731622-737619) lie along the bottom of the S.E.-draining valley of the Dallington Brook, cut into the underlying Upper Lias Clay between 68.m and 76 m. above OD. The remains consist of three ponds, all probably medieval in origin, though the lower two have been considerably altered by post-medieval landscaping as part of the park of Dallington Hall in which they are situated. The upper pond, now dry, still retains its original form. The lower ponds are shown in their present form on a map of Dallington of 1725 and are called Middle and Lower Ponds. The upper one is depicted as dry and divided into two areas called Upper and Nether Fish Dam. The alteration of the ponds probably dates from about 1720 when the present hall was built by Sir Joseph Jekyll.

The lower pond is L-shaped with a rectangular flat island at its N.W. end. Its dam at the S.E. end is only a narrow one, faced with ashlar, and presumably early 18th century in date but with later repairs in brick. The centre pond, roughly rectangular in plan, has a large earthern dam at its S.E. end 2.5 m. high. Its upper side has a modern concrete facing with an 18th or 19th century ashalr and brick sluice and channel through it. The upper pond has been formed by the cutting back of the valley sides to produce a flat-bottomed area 2.5 m.-3 m. below the natural hill sope. The dam at its S.E. end is a massive feature up to 3 m. in height, though much altered by later landscaping including a low rubble wall at its rear. The Dallington Brook which once flowed down the valley is now in an artificial leat to the N. of the ponds and has 18th or 19th century sluices which passed water into the lower ponds. The leat has modern concrete retaining walls in places, but is almost certainly medieval in origin.

{3} Documentary references to Dallington fishponds. The 2 lower ponds are shown in their present form on a map of 1725. They are called the Middle Pond & Lower Pond. The area is divided into two, called Upper Fish Dam & Nether Fish Dam.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.246-7 (part checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<2> Shaw M., 1982, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (12), p.41 (unchecked) (Journal). SNN22160.

<3> 1725, Map of Dallington, (unchecked) (Map). SNN22184.

<4> Shaw M.; Williams J., 1971-1981, Northampton Development Corporation SMR Record Cards, M339 (Index). SNN133.

<5> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, A/P (RAF VAP, V58-RAF-1122 0197-9) (Photographs). SNN104890.

Record last edited

Jan 30 2023 11:31AM