Coursed stonework was initially found amongst trees during the clearance of dense undergrowth on an earthen bank rising from about 2-3m back from the pavement. Excavations subsequently uncovered over 13m of wall, revealing the full depth of the feature, the batter or slope of its face, the presence of footings, an overall curving plan and the greater height of remaining rubble corework behind the wall. The wall included a narrow opening that ran back under the corework at least 1.5m. Whilst the west end of the wall was located, the east end still remains covered.

Within the opening and extending out beyond the wall there were revealed two lines of iron nails and several long rods, similar to those previously recorded at Papplewick. These were interpreted as support fixtures at the base of timber-built troughs or launders that facilitated the movement of water.

The launder’s base level corresponded with the top of what remained of an 18th century brick arch, set on a stone foundation and with an internal width of 4 feet (1.2m). The brickwork had clearly not extended beyond the front of the opening. Below the arch there was evidence for an earlier lower and narrower launder that the arch may have partly protected. The arch had been reduced and the opening narrowed to contain the later 3 feet (0.9m) wide launder set at a higher level.

Behind the back of the wall there is an oval-shaped brick-lined shaft situated along the path of a brick-lined drain running SW from the former reservoir Moor Pond. The drain was uncovered running under the south-west corner of the wall structure and it was just possible to ascertain its internal width and likely height.

The wall structure supported a bank behind which there was a north-south running leat that ran from north of Moor Pond. Whether there was a similar walled feature on the south side of Papplewick Lane is unknown as the corresponding raised bank here has been cut back by road widening and quarrying. The leat north of the wall appears to terminate 7m behind the front of the wall. This and the relatively low height of the wall and bank probably mean that water was never carried over it by viaduct. Water flow between the two leats and across Papplewick Lane was probably assisted by gravity flow alone.

The drain running from Moor Pond crossed the path of both launders at a lower level, but only just below the base of the lower launder. It is possible that the drain pre-existed the leat, wall and the launders, and that the lower launder had to be replaced by one at higher level due to pressure on the top of the drain. A suggested phasing scheme by the author dates Moor Pond (and its inlets and outlets) to the early 1780s, whilst the walling on Papplewick Lane and the raised banks and leats to the north and south may relate to the building of the expansion of Grange Mill several years later.

<1> Laura Binns, 2017, Report on an Archaeological Audit and an Appraisal of Future Archaeological investigation - Moor Pond Woods - Papplewick (Unpublished document). SNT5693.

<2> Richard Sheppard, 2015, Archaeological Recording of a Wall Structure at Papplewick Lane, Papplewick, Nottinghamshire, 2009-11 (Unpublished document). SNT5709.