Monument record BNT 049 - Post Medieval flood defence banks.

Extensive flood defence banks of Post Medieval and modern date are visible on aerial photographs of 1946 onwards at circa TM10773249, enclosing a spur of land on the northern bank of the River Stour, to the south of Cattawade, Brantham parish. Two phases of reclamation can be seen. The earliest phase is probably Post-Medieval, and encloses the area of the Xylonite plant to the south of Cattawade (see BNT 024) and to the north of the railway line. A relict section of this bank centred on circa TM10293309 has become incorporated into property boundaries. The latest phase encloses the tip of the spur and is not marked on the Ordnance Survey second edition map of circa 1904 and therefore dates from the early 20th century. The 20th century defences appear to have been built in stages, with a diagonal bank separating the newly reclaimed area into two halves or cells. Preserved within these areas are elements of the earlier superseded earthworks that probably date from the Post Medieval period and less well defined banks that may represent abandoned reclamation attempts, earlier causeways, or might simply part of the construction activity of the later defences. Damage has been caused to the 20th century internal banks by industrial activity from the Xylonite factory to the north of the spur. (S1, S2)