Great North Barn - 2003

Lewes Archaeological Group were asked by the County Archaeologist to carry out a watching brief during the excavation of a lake at Hamsey. Anne Locke and Sue Rowland began to find various archaeological remains, and asked for assistance.

On the 10^th and 11^th October with various volunteers we excavated the remains of a small rectangular building with walls built of mortared flint. Within the building was the remains of a cobbled floor, and a packed chalk floor, whilst another area of chalk floor extended through a possible doorway in the wall.

Outside the building was another area of compact chalk floor partly overlain by rubble from the building’s demolition. A section was excavated through a water channel in front of the building. The dating evidence suggests that this building existed in the 18^th century, and may have been demolished in the 20^th century. There is some speculation that it may have been a tide mill.

Nearby a scatter of Medieval pottery was found on the surface, and then when the excavators digging out the lake began digging deeper, a layer of sandy soil over 0.5m down below alluvial layers began to produce large quantities of un-abraded sherds of Medieval pottery, together with animal bone, wood and a few pieces of leather. It is not clear whether this layer is the result of flooding, or simply the disposal of waste into a watercourse.

There are records of a mill at Hamsey in the 13^th century, but we do not know where it was located. Sue Rowland has done some digging into records regarding the local area and has found the following references:-

• The first reference to a mill at Hamsey is in the Feet of Fines for the County of Sussex for 1223 when land ‘including the mill at Hamsey’  and ‘Roger the miller’ are mentioned (SRS 2).

• The Inquisition of the Rape of Lewes for 1272 (SRS 44) talks of a water-mill and mill-race which was in need of repair. ‘They say there is a water-mill there which would be worth 4li. 5s. a year if the flow of water were put right.  The said mill and mill-race could be mended and diverted for 11li.’

• In 1297 Simon, the miller of Hamsey was excommunicated (SAC 82) and in 1302 the priest  was Peter de Molendinus meaning ‘of the mill’ (SRS 40).

• The next mention is in 1790 when Joseph Mighell was compensated for the loss of his mill-race as a result of works carried out by the Ouse Navigation Company when they dug ‘The Cut’ to by-pass the large river meander.

• Two questions  remain. Why was the mill known as ‘Germany Mill’ in 1774 (MOB1699) and why is there no record of it for over 400 years?

Photographs:
Pottery:   Sue Rowland
Site:        Chris Butler