In the later 19th century the building was expanded substantially. This may relate to the building being converted into a soap factory. Extra rooms were added at the east of the building and the design of the mill itself was altered to work more efficiently.

At the north end of the water wheel pit a large metal plate was noted resting on the brick surface now crushed by the debris above. This feature may represent the water wheel being modernised from the original ‘Undershot’ to the ‘Poncelet’ wheel type. The undershot wheel used a vertical blade in front of the wheel which slowed down the water before it passed through. The Poncelet design used an angled metal blade to funnel the water course resulting in the pressure of the water passing through the wheel being greater.

Further modifications appear to have been made to the water wheel pit, probably later in the 19th century. Firstly the 18th century brick floor and metal plate were buried with debris over which a crude single brick wide east – west orientated footing was constructed. This is thought to have been to raise the level of the channel. A trough construction may have sat upon this to feed the water to the wheel via a ‘breastshot’ feed. This may have been supported by rendered wall.

Located directly at the foot of brick floor and attached to the interior of the stone wall, a bracket for holding a sluice gate was observed and the remnants of a further bracket were noted on the opposing side. This would have controlled water entering the water wheel pit from the dam above. This was abutted by a low mortar lined wall spanning the wheel pit east-west which had an angled stone plinth set against it. This plinth which also had downward grooves cut into it mirrored the angle of the wheel at its base and would allow the flow of water to run smoothly off the wheel in to the pit. Abutting these features is the floor of the water wheel pit which is made of machine engineered bricks datable to the later half of the 19th century suggesting further modifications in this area towards the end of the mills life.

A crude brick box drain oriented north west – south east was noted leading from the outer back wall into the pond area which had the remains of a ceramic pipe laid on top, this was perhaps a later replacement after the former became blocked. This was laid over the top of considerable deposits of 19th century debris and is most probably a feature which relates to the later part of the 19th century.

Located outside the main wall of the mill and adjacent to the back entrance was a brick lined well; this measured approximately 1m x 1m, the bricks were laid in a Flemish style (with absent headers) and was constructed out of bricks attributable to the late 19th century. This was noted cutting through 19th century made ground and it was half sectioned to a depth of 1m which did not reach the bottom of the well. Down to this depth the well had one fill of loose black clinker ash, a deposit that covered much of the site and presumable was part of the demolition sequence and or landfill/landscaping of the site. The location of this feature was within the footprint of a single brick construction which appeared to be the base of an unsubstantial lean to building. The bricks used in the construction of the lean to building were different to those used in the construction of the well and so although the two are broadly contemporary (late 19th century) they may not have been built at the same time.

Abutting the main outer wall on its southern side, two areas of mortar were noted orientated north east - south west and one orientated north west – south east. These areas of mortar had occasional brick prints suggesting they acted as the base of a floor.

This floor is likely to relate to brick foundations located further to the south east which appear to represent a mid 19th century addition to the mill (R Sheppard, pers com). A wall has a distinct curve at its south east corner indicating some architectural thought was given to its construction. This may indicate this area was an office or an area of the mill that dealt with the public. Another wall to the west was made of bricks 0.5m long

R. Parker and J. Winfer, 2015, Toton Unearthed, Toton, Nottinghamshire: Report on an archaeological evaluation on the site of Toton Mill, Manor Farm Recreation Ground, August to September 2014, Page 15-16 (Unpublished document). SNT5918.