Monument record 27/0/6 - Medieval/Post Medieval Fishpond

Fishponds and remains of a leat. Summary from record 27/0/8: Earthwork: Good quality photography

{1} At the upper, north-east end there was formerly a large pond, some 180m long x 20m wide, slightly curved in plan, cut back into the valley side on the south, and embanked on the north side above the stream. This has now largely been destroyed by a sewage works; only its north-east corner and part of the west end survives. Downstream to the west is a similar but smaller pond, 80m long x 20m wide, cut back into the hillside on the south and bounded on the north by a large bank 10m wide and 1.5m high. What appears to be a later leat has been cut along its south side and continues westwards beyond the pond. This and other damage make it impossible to be certain about the original form of the west end of the pond. The purpose of the leat is unknown.

{2} The present owner of the fishpond advises that a small earthwork fragment at the east end of the pond was infilled and destroyed by him some years ago.

{3} Geophysical survey identified a broad linear anomaly which represented the western end of the 'fishpond' bank.

{4} There are fishponds in or near Poplars Farm. The first are within the garden and are very old, they constitute a stream blocking technique and hay have been used to trap freshwater crayfish. A lot of the rest of the ponds are buried under the sewage works but from the shape of the remainder they would seem to have been Elizabethan.

Description from record 27/0/8:
{1}

{2} .

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.26/Site 5 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<2> Cadman, G.E., 1995, SMR Report Form, (checked) (SMR Report Form). SNN50041.

<3> Walford, J., 2013, Archaeological Geophysical Survey of the Village Land, Chacombe, Northamptonshire December 2012, p.5 (checked) (Report). SNN108595.

<4> Bowes J.P., 1997, Archaeology Survey Of Chacombe and Environs, (checked) (Report). SNN101068.

<5> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCCAP:SP4944/001-7 (Photographs). SNN104822.

<6> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, A/P (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 1205-7; F21 58/RAF/3963, 0010-11) (Photographs). SNN104890.

Record last edited

Oct 24 2023 12:29PM