Towles Mill Sluice Oxford

From December 2006 to January 2007, Oxford Archaeology (OA) carried out an
excavation at Towles Mill Sluice, Oxford (SP 517 039). The work was
commissioned by Atkins Limited on behalf of the Environment Agency in advance
of flood conveyance improvement works. The excavation revealed possible
medieval alluvial deposits and some insubstantial structural remains associated
with the 19th century mill.
Consequently, from February to March 2007, a watching brief was undertaken
during the landscaping of the remodelled bypass channel and the augmentation of
the sluice channel. The watching brief revealed the remnants of a timber revetment
at the mouth of the bypass channel and further evidence for medieval alluviation.
Dendrochronilogical samples from the timbers suggested that the structure was
associated with the 15th century use of the mill. The mill race (now the sluice
channel) was drained during the works and the exposed stone revetment and wheel
pit appeared to relate to the 19th century phase of the mill.