Monument record 765/1 - Windmill Pool

A moated site, which has external dimensions of 40 metres square. The moat arms measure up to 12 metres wide and are waterfilled. The moated island measures 20 metres north-south and 15 metres east-west. An excavation of part of the island in 1981 recovered fragments of medieval pottery. To the west is a large waterfilled pond, roughly square in plan. A 14 metre long channel connects the pond with the north western corner of the western moat arm, while a further channel, is visible running south westwards from the south western corner of the pond. There are two parallel channels to the west of the pond which connect with a smaller, irregularly-shaped pond situated further west, 84 metres north west of the moated site. An 1843 tithe map indicates that the moated site and its associated water control features were situated within a paddock known, at that time, as Windmill Pool, although the earthworks themselves are not shown on the map. The windmill, from which the site is thought to take its name, has not been located. Scheduled Monument.

{1} The site consists of a rectangular pond with, immediately to the east, a square flat island, 20m by 15m, completely surrounded by a broad water-filled ditch between 5m and 12m wide. On the Tithe Map of 1843 (NRO) neither feature is depicted, though the paddock in which they lie is called Windmill Pool. It is possible that the moated feature is the site of a former windmill. Some unglazed sherds, presumably medieval or later, were found recently in the centre of the island

{2} Island within moated enclosure. May be medieval moat. There is another adjacent pond. Both are water filled. SP63655365.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1982, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.96/Site 3 (checked) (Series). SNN77382.

<2> FOARD G.R., 1979, ORAL REPORT TO SMR, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN51272.

<3> 1843, Litchborough Tithe Map, (unchecked) (Map). SNN13918.

<4> Northampton Museum Records, (unchecked) (Uncertain). SNN126.

<5> 1977, OS 25 INCH MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN13912.

<6> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, NCCAP: SP6354/42 (Aerial Photograph(s)). SNN104822.

<7> Scheduled Monument Notification, 14/07/1995 (Note). SNN113001.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:57PM