A trial-trenched evaluation was undertaken by Colchester Archaeological Trust in February 2016 in advance of residential development (CBC planning application 150492). Eight trial-trenches were excavated across the development site (T1-T8).<1> Only modern features were identified in trenches T1-T7, which were located in a field south-west of Cannock Mill. Trench/test pit T8 next to Cannock Mill revealed the remains of a timber revetment driven into natural alluvium, tentatively interpreted as the remains of the wall of the waterwheel pit (or possibly a leat?). T8 was excavated through a series of modern make-up layers (L6, c.650mm thick) onto a redeposited dirty brown/grey clay (L7, c.700mm thick). At a depth of c.1.35m below modern ground level, L7 overlaid blue/grey alluvial clay (L3) which had the scars of a wooden revetment surviving it in (F11). No wood survived, just the dark outline where the wood had once been. The trench was too small and deep to allow for further investigation. Finds directly above F11 suggested it was covered over in the 19th century.