Page 5 - The Lost Lake

The Lost Lake Redditch Heritage

A Chance Meeting

One autumn day in 1968 we came across a rather hairy but studious young man taking
measurements behind our house in Bordesley. Having heard rumours of an intended
bypass (!) we decided to ask what he was about.

It transpired he was charting the natural and artificial watercourses up the valley in
preparation far an MA thesis. Ever on the lookout for an interesting speaker, we eventually
persuaded him to give a talk to our Countryside Group or YHA Local Group, as it was then.
Thus it was that on November 14 1968, for first and possibly only time, Mick Aston, later
of the television show “Team Team”, lectured to an audience in Alvechurch.

Some of Mick Aston's findings wore especially
interesting, particularly the site of a substantial
lake south of Grange Lane. Its area extended
over about 22 acres, around three- quarters the
size of Lower Bittell Reservoir, and it was
originally contained by a large earth dam about
200 metres long and up to five metres high.

The dam had been breached in the middle
allowing the Arrow to run through, draining the
lake. To the east of the dam appeared to be the
remains of a mill, possibly Lye Mill, which was
recorded in 1160. About half way along the lake
perimeter, a cut had been made in the bank,
isolating a flat platform to create a moated
island in the lake.

Running around the western edge of the lake
was a channel, which diverted water from the
lake by means of floodgates near Grange Farm.
Known as Bordesley Stream, this continued on
down the valley, across the meadows towards
Redditch. At the time of Mick Aston's study,
Bordesley Stream was more or less functioning,
it was beautifully engineered to fall at a constant
gradient, losing only a little over a metre in
altitude over its three-kilometre length. The hirsute Mick Aston, well-known
from Time Team and an expert on our
At one time it was the responsibility of the valley.
tenant of Forge Mill to make his way up the
valley in times of heavy rainfall to adjust the floodgates at Grange Farm - an unenviable
duty, especially at night.

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