Earthwork remains of a probable medieval watermill dam and site of watermill, north-west of Mount Bures (EHER 9187)

A long, low, tree-covered mound in the valley of Cambridge Brook, north-west of the motte.

A long, low, tree-covered mound in the valley of Cambridge Brook, north-west of the motte. <1> 1969 and 1972. Archaeological excavation. The earthwork was first noticed by Mr P. Leydon some years before 1972 but was not excavated until 1969 when Mrs McMaster first began a sole trench excavation. This work was continued in 1972 in an attempt to find out the mound's nature and purpose. The mound was found to be built up with horizontal layers of clay and was obviously man-made. The mound measures 45m long, 15m wide and 3m high but it was probably originally longer, having been cut by a road at the west end. The roadside bank there is higher than usual and may be part of the mound. A depression probably represents quarrying of material for the mound. There were no finds from the excavation, other than a small piece of Roman tile, of no significance from the mound (see EHER 9186). The mound may have been a mill dam; and a mill is mentioned in the Mount Bures Domesday entry. In 1682 there was a meadow called Curdmill Holme. A mill at Bures is mentioned in around 1200. In 1578 the sale of Mount Bures and West Bergholt manors included two mills. There is no direct dating evidence although it is tempting to associate it with the nearby motte. <1> <2> <3> See <2> for a discussion of documentary evidence, including a reference to the field to the north as Oxhouse Field. Note: the earthwork is now in Bures Hamlet parish, but was originally in Mount Bures parish (now Colchester District). See aerial photograph <4>. See also <5> for information on the watermill. NRHE data transfer: no new information.