Images and Site Records from a Trial Trench Evaluation at Crotia Mill, David Whitby Way, Basford East, Cheshire 2022

This collection comprises images and scanned site records from an archaeological trial trench evaluation by Oxford Archaeology (OA) North on land adjacent to Crotia Mill, David Whitby Way, Basford East, Cheshire (NGR: SJ 72319 52844). The evaluation was carried out in October 2022 in advance of a residential development on the land.
In total, three trenches were investigated in the south of the wider development area, targeted upon features associated with Crotia Mill, as suggested by late nineteenth-century Ordnance Survey maps. Of these, one trench was found to contain archaeological remains comprising two poorly preserved timbers, most probably representing the remains of a wooden sluice/gate associated with the mill. A small assemblage of finds, in conjunction with the historic mapping, indicate a late post-medieval date for this feature.
No evidence of other mill-related structures, such as a weir or mill pond retaining wall, were encountered in the trenches. Significant peat deposits, however, were revealed underlying the topsoil in the west of the trenching area, although these were homogenous and undated. No residual finds associated with the earlier phases of the mill were recovered.The limited evaluation results provide little insight into the location and character of water-powered mills.