What they found

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The existence of maps, plans and photographs of the old mill at Dotton, many of which had been assembled as part of an A-level evening class project by local resident Laura Whittock, meant that Time Team did not have any problem in determining where to dig. Even so, John Gater and the geophysics team were keen to carry out a survey in advance of any digging. This was because they'd never done a survey of a mill site before and they wanted to record the results for future reference.

This done, Phil Harding was quick to get started on excavating the old wheel pit, the former gearing chamber and the living quarters. Mill historian Martin Watts (see Further reading) and industrial archaeologist Mike Nevell were on hand to offer guidance.

The excavations uncovered a number of metal reinforcing pieces, with portions of wood still attached, from the last waterwheel on the site. This would have been about three metres in diameter. A large metal section of the main gearing mechanism was also found, together with two large intact millstones.

The first of these to be uncovered was dated to the late 17th century by four distinctive curving, horn-like slots coming out from the centre. The second was a very poor quality millstone cut from red sandstone conglomerate. Martin Watts said it was the first he had come across in Devon and its poor quality showed the decline in the fortunes of the mill in its later years, in contrast to its relatively prosperous valuation of five shillings at the time of Domesday.

In the domestic quarters, a fine tile floor remained in situ, while pottery finds went back to the early 1600s. Most of what the excavation uncovered, however, related to the last building on the site, which was erected in the 18th century. The wheel pit structure contained early bricks and an even earlier stone wall at its base, beneath which was a piece of timber that may have been part of an earlier structure still.

But this was as far back as Time Team could get. Excavations along the line of the leat, or water channel, that diverted water from the nearby river to the mill, failed to find any earlier mill structures. So the mill mentioned in the Domesday Book was either obliterated by later building on the site or what is left of it lies buried even deeper than Time Team was able to go.

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