As part of their research the Volunteers investigated the archaeology of the mill. After an assessement of the site by the County Archaeology Officer, Jenny Morrison, we were advised to focus on the main room of the mill by excavating two small trenches.The floor level of the western end of this room is exposed bedrock, but the eastern end (as you move downstream) falls away and was covered with gravel over the infill to an unknown depth. On the outside (riverside) path, there was a height difference with the internal floor of the mill of upto 2 metres and the excavations should help explain how the mill was constructed.

Bedrock was quickly found in the NE corner trench, along with the remains of a post hole. The worn appearance suggested the bedrock had been used as the floor of the mill. The area surrounding the trench was then completely cleared, uncovering a gulley cut into the NE corner of the room (Room A2 on the site plan). This was probably a drainage channel to help cope with a severe condensation problem on the North wall, which was built into the side of the steep sloping bank.The second trench uncovered the remains of two walls, one probably associated with the waterwheel and having a stone containing a rectangular post hole at its end. The second wall was possibly the original boundary to the mill (pre 1820) before the extension was built. Its position left very little room for the expected lower level room in the SE corner as suggested by the existence of two (blocked) external arches. The expert judgment was that these arches were likely to have been built as supports for the main walls of the mill when it was extended sometime after 1820. The infill of this trench contained a mixture of silt, brick, glass, post-medieval pottery and a piece of a clay pipe.

Finally, a small exploratory trench was begun in the floor area of the mill cottage (Area D in the site diagram) with the hope the floor area or bedrock would quickly be met and allow the whole of this site to be cleared. Unfortunately the thickness of the topsoil deposit and lack of time meant that this had to be backfilled and left.