Batford Mill, Lower Luton Road, Harpenden, St Albans, Hertfordshire. Archaeological Evaluation (OASIS ID: drparcha1-396914)

A pre-determination evaluation on a historic watermill site on the River Lea was undertaken by DRP Archaeology in June 2020 in order to better inform the archaeological advisor ahead of a planning decision. A previous Heritage Statement was produced, but could not provide enough information of survival of potential heritage assets. The site dates to least the Medieval period, but is potentially Anglo-Saxon in origin. The current site is industrial and concreted over with the watermill having gone out of use in the 1950s. The evaluation was in the open yard area targeting evidence for earlier mill structures and the now backfilled mill stream. The evaluation identified the natural, the mill stream and a brick built structure interpreted as the entrance from millstream to mill. Despite widespread modern disturbance, both the natural (sealed by subsoil) and archaeological features survive well.