Following the discovery of the remains of a medieval wall next to Abbey Fields Leisure Centre, local historian Robin Leach sheds some light on the history of the site.

The entire Abbey Fields status as a scheduled ancient monument ensures there is a steady stream of archaeological investigations that wouldn't otherwise take place.

The last decade or so has seen discoveries on the former bowling green, the car park, the Cow Path, and now the medieval wall at the swimming pool.

The swimming pool area has long been suspected as the site for the Abbey Mill (due to its location on a dam and being alongside the brook) and was marked as such on the 1925 OS map; evidence however has never been found.

The precise pre-pool topography of the area isn't certain.

The top of the newly discovered wall is about four or five feet above the brook.

It is quite probable that it has been buried a long time; the building of the original pool in 1895/6 is unlikely to have involved any earth excavations in that area, and the rebuild in 1935 saw it covered by two concrete terraces, and so it is quite probable that no one was aware of its existence until this year.

I certainly didn't find a reference to it in my research into the pool's 1935 rebuilding, the only time it may have been seen, but it is possible that it was spotted without its significance being realised.

As well as the straight wall there are the remains of a couple of structures, at an angle, at one end.

There are also a few pieces of roof tile used as fill in places.

The archaeologists have concluded it is medieval, an era which falls roughly between 400 and 1500 AD; hopefully the second phase of the work starting this week will also go downwards in the hunt for dating material.

If it turns out that the wall is part of the mill and more of it is uncovered, it will be the most significant discovery in the park since much of the Abbey was excavated a century ago in 1922.

More investigations are set to take place in Abbey Fields this week (Images via Warwick District Council)

The new work will also excavate the site of the sub-station near the zip wire.

A number of small investigations have taken place in the children's play area before where posts are to be sunk, but this time perhaps a sizable hole will be dug since it has to be anyway for the building's foundations.

It is not expected that any buildings may be found here, but there are known to be drains associated with abbey in this area, and of course loose items of pottery, tile, stone, and musket balls even, are always likely to turn up.

To read more of Robin's work you can find his article on the history of the outdoor pool in Nub News here, see his website here, or purchase his printed works from Kenilworth Books.

More information on the details of the archaeological excavations over the years can be found in Robin's book The Abbey Field.