Excavation, Lutterworth Road, Lutterworth, Leicestershire. Excavation (OASIS ID: oxfordar1-402794)

Oxford Archaeology was commissioned by CgMs Consulting to undertake an excavation across a medieval mill leat on land to the north of Lutterworth Road, Lutterworth, Leicestershire. The excavation did not reveal any features or fills that could be dated to the medieval period. The excavation identified later phases of the mill race towards the end of its working life and final infilling. The lack of well-dated medieval environmental remains means it was not possible to indicate the environmental setting of the mill or its races. The later post-medieval fills from the leat indicate flowing water conditions with muddy substrata were maintained within an open, tree-less agricultural landscape. The few charred cereal grains 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. It is possible the later recutting of the leat has removed all evidence or the medieval route followed a different, perhaps shorter path. It is also possible due to shifting river patterns 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.