Watching brief where trenching for the renewal of a mains sewer crossed the area designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. This trench originated to the NE of Rufford Abbey, headed S through the Scheduled Area to the E of the Abbey and towards the Orangery. Laying the new pipe over an old main that had been dug to a depth of 2m, the trench was 0.4m wide and was dug by JCB to a depth of 1m. No obvious archaeologically significant features or structures were visible. Parts of the trench outside the Scheduled Area were open when the archaeologist arrived on site. Although there was no brief to record this, an examination of the spoil was carried out. (1) Grid ref for S end of trench.