Pond and Head-Race at Froggatt Wood Smelt Mill, Longshaw Estate

Summary

Water was impounded from 3 small streams: 2 join east of the pond, with a possible slight re-alignment of the S of the pair; the 3rd can easily be seen to have been diverted S, to enter the NE corner of the pond by means of a narrow leat, probably once straight but now deflected in several places by trees. The former course of this stream is shown by a strip of ground made damp by seepage from the point of diversion.

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Description

Water was impounded from 3 small streams: 2 join east of the pond, with a possible slight re-alignment of the S of the pair; the 3rd can easily be seen to have been diverted S, to enter the NE corner of the pond by means of a narrow leat, probably once straight but now deflected in several places by trees. The former course of this stream is shown by a strip of ground made damp by seepage from the point of diversion.

The pond, although partly silted, is still clearly defined. It has been dug out to form a shelf on the hill-side, the spoil used to build the dam, which is revetted in stone on both sides. The residue has been dumped to the S, forming a prominent mound. The former water-level, c. 6 m. (174.86 O.O.D.) above the level of the top of the smelting-house water wheel, is marked by an overflow, a prominent stone into which a gutter has been cut, laid across the top of the dam. The shuttle supplying the smelting-house head-race has not survived. It was sited at the S end of the dam, indicated by substantial masonry which would probably have incorporated the shuttle to regulate the flow. The stones have been displaced, perhaps originally be robbing, but also by the action of roots from a tree which has recently been cut down.

To the west of the dam, the course of the head-race is clear: a line of eleven stones, cut to form lengths of channel, still conveys water from the dam to the smelting-house. The present line begins 5 m. from the dam, where it is likely that other stones have been removed or have disintegrated. It is from this gap in the line that water leaks to what is probably the originally course of the uniter S streams, a course which would have been used for overflow water from the pond.

Despite some displacement by the action of roots on the surface of the slope, the channel still directs a substantial volume of water towards the smelting-house, and W end of the channel, the water is discharged into the wheel-pit; however, the stones do not align directly with the back of the pit, and it is probable that there was some form of control, to direct water either to the wheel or to a diversion, enabling the smelter to vary the speed of the bellows.

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