Lutterworth Road, Lutterworth, Leicestershire Archaeological Excavation Report

Oxford Archaeology (OA) was commissioned by CgMs Consulting to undertake
an archaeological excavation across a medieval mill leat on land to the north
of Lutterworth Road, Lutterworth, Leicestershire.
The mill race relates to St John’s Hospital that is recorded to the west of the
site. The Hospital is believed to have been founded pre-1218 and dissolved
post-1577. Two watermills known as Spittle Mills and a wind mill and a malt
mills are believed to be associated with the Hospital. We know the Spittle Mills
was operating in 1631, and appears to have survived on the site until relatively
recent times. The mill leat was first mentioned in the mid-16th century, and
the existing parish boundary follows its course as identified from historical
mapping. It is possible that the parish boundaries were laid down at
Domesday when the land in that area was divided between Lutterworth to the
west and Misterton to the east.
The excavation did not reveal any features or fills that could be dated to the
medieval period. The excavation was, however, successful in identifying the
later phases of the mill race from the 18th or 20th centuries onwards to the
end of its working life and final infilling phase. The lack of well dated
environmental remains from the medieval period means it was not possible
to indicate the environmental setting of the mill or its races. The later postmedieval
fills from the leat would indicate flowing water conditions with
muddy substrata were maintained within an open predominantly tree-less
agricultural landscape. The few charred cereal grains that were recovered
from the leat were likely windblown and only hint at agricultural production
within the wider area.
The route of the medieval mill race is still undetermined and no evidence was
revealed during the excavations. It is possible that the later recutting of the
leat has removed all evidence of this or that the medieval route followed a
different, perhaps shorter path. It is also possible due to shifting river patterns
that the mill was originally located on or closer to the river. A longer mill run
may have been required in the post-medieval period due to shifting river
systems.