Page 7 - The Lost Lake
P. 7
The Lost Lake Redditch Heritage
The lake itself, according to Mick Aston, was almost certainly constructed by the monks
of Bordesley Abbey and would have been used as a fish pond or to power Lye Mill. The
great earth dam appears to have fallen into disrepair fairly soon after the dissolution of
the Abbey in 1538, but an "Old Pool" was still shown on a map of 1722. A popular theory
regarding the moated island in the lake was that it was used by the monks as a refuge
during times of unrest, but there is no sure evidence to support this.
he lower end of Bordesley Stream was finally filled in during the autumn of 1969, but
two sections of the northern end survived until in 1980 and 1997. The earth dam was
bulldozed away in 1983 and the surrounding area was landscaped. Today, only a
fragment of bank supporting an electricity pole marks the site of this major medieval
feature.The original purpose of the stream, apart from being a relief channel for the lake,
could have been to form part of the Bordesley Abbey water system.
It was certainly used to power Redditch Old Mill before that was demolished in about
1936, and also to supplement the supply to Forge Mill.
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