Monument record 2079/1 - Ecton Watermill

A large raised leat and fragments of a stone structure surviving at its eastern end were recorded in 1979. Archaeological excavation in 2018 identified the remains of a medieval watermill, probably constructed in the mid-13th century. This was demolished and replaced by another mill in the 16th century. This mill and a probable ancillary building were demolished in the 18th or 19th century.

{1} Earthworks of post-medieval watermill. A large raised leat and fragments of a stone structure surviving at its eastern end; info: G.Foard 1979.

{2} Field drain is possibly part of former overflow or bypass leet for the mill.

{3} Watermill shown on map of 1703.

{4} Domesday survey recorded Echentone with two mills rendering 14s.
Documentary sources: Marked Ecton Mill on 1703 Estate map; John Harris's 1712 map and Eyre's and Jeffries' 1791 map mark it as Ecton Mill; the 1813 survey plan for 1 inch OS map marks it leather Mill; and Bryant's 1827 map marks it Old Leather Mill or Fish Pond Head.

Long leat, in water. Sluice across what was probably the mill wheel race - brick-sided, and brick bottom about 280mm wide. By-pass channel now accessed by a very wide weir, which appears to have stone work on the east side.

{5} A single trench was excavated in advance of proposed development which would remove the current sluice and adjacent structures. Archaeological features including a pitched stone surface and possible wall foundation. Other features were also identified. The features may be related to the demolished mill.

{6} Archaeological excavation was undertaken prior to restoration of the sluice. Two phases of mill were found; the earliest dated to around the mid-13th century (however, the excavation was limited to later ground levels, so there may have been evidence of earlier mills), which was replaced in the mid-16th century by another mill.

The medieval mill was a rectangular structure at least 6.8m long and 6m wide, aligned north-south on its long axis with the remains of three internal stone walls and a possible entrance in the eastern wall. The southern room was probably the working area of the mill which would have contained the millwheel machinery. However, no evidence for this was found as the south end of the building was not excavated.

By the 16th century this building had been demolished and another mill, partially overlaying it, was built. The new mill building was rectangular and aligned north-south on its long axis. It had
an internal area of c8m by c5.5m, with the building slightly narrowing to c5m at the south end. The interior of the building was divided into at least three rooms with stone floor surfaces; the two north rooms were domestic rooms, with a hearth and chimney indicating that the kitchen lay in the eastern room. Entrances lay in the opposing east and west walls. The southern room was probably the working space of the mill but as this part was not fully excavated no mill workings were found. There was a fire which necessitated some rebuilding, although the date of the fire is not known.

A third building lay to the east. It was possibly an ncillary associated with the post-medieval mill.

Both buildings appear to have been demolished in the 18th or 19th century.

<1> Foard G.R., 1979, Oral Report to SMR, (checked) (Uncertain). SNN51229.

<2> Cadman G.E., 1995, SMR Report Form, (checked) (Uncertain). SNN49806.

<3> 1703, Ecton Parish Survey (NRO Map 2115), (unchecked) (Map). SNN22606.

<4> STARMER G., 2002?, Northamptonshire Watermills Survey 2001 - 2002 (A-H), p.49 (checked) (Report). SNN105520.

<5> Poulus, E, 2018, Archaeological trial trench evaluation on land at Leathermills Sluice, Ecton, Northamptonshire, October 2018- Interim report (Interim Note). SNN111614.

<6> Morris, S and Holmes, M, 2019, Archaeological excavation at Leathermills Sluice, Ecton, Northamptonshire, December 2018 (Report). SNN112314.

<7> Crank, N. (Editor), 2020, South Midlands Archaeology (50), p. 82 (Journal). SNN112426.

Record last edited

Apr 15 2021 3:16PM