Monument record 706/3/7 - Mill leats and ponds (now dry), Astwell

Series of leats and ponds. There at at least two phases of leat providing water to Astwell mill to the north.

{2} Mill Leats and Ponds (SP 603439–608444), extend along the east side of a north-draining valley, to the south-west, west and north of Astwell Castle, on clay at 116 m above OD. The leats represent at least two separate stages in the process of supplying water to Astwell Mill which lies further north, on the Helmdon-Wappenham Road. The earliest feature is a broad leat 10 m wide with an embanked lower side which runs off the existing stream well to the south-west of the castle and extends north-east roughly parallel to the stream. At its north-east end it once ran into the westernmost of the two existing mill ponds. A second leat runs parallel to and above the one already described, to a point just north-west of the castle where it turns and continues inside the old one. This leat is shown on all except the most modern OS maps and plans as carrying water, but is now a narrow dry ditch only 7 m across. To the west of Astwell Castle a track crosses the new leat on a small 19th-century brick bridge. The same track crosses the old leat on a blocking causeway. Other ditches in the general area also appear to have been used to supply the mill with water. For example an embanked ditch immediately west of Astwell Castle carried water across the hillside from a spring, and further north at least one other ditch had the same function.

<1> Taylor P., 1992, Fishponds Report 1992, (checked) (Report). SNN1339.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.86 site 10; partly on Fig 77 (Series). SNN77382.

<3> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, A/P (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 3224-5) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<4> Aerial Photograph, A/P (CUAP, NU94) (Photographs). SNN112974.

Record last edited

Feb 1 2024 10:18AM