TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE SITE OF THE HALL THE NATURAL WATERCOURSE HAS BEEN WIDENED INTO A 'SERPENTINE' WATER FEATURE, SHOWN ON ARMSTRONG'S COUNTY MAP OF 1778 AND SO NAMED ON EARLY OS 25' SHEETS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE SERPENTINE LAKE IS THOMAS WHICHCOTE'S WORK AND WAS AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE EXISTING GARDENS AND PARK LESS FORMAL AND MORE IN KEEPING WITH THE LANDSCAPING IDEAS OF THE MID C18. {1}~ A DOCUMENTARY REFERENCE TO A C14 FISHPOND AT HARPSWELL MAY POSSIBLY REFER TO AN EARLIER USE OF THE SITE? THE SERPENTINE IS APPARENTLY NO MORE THAN AN ORNAMENTAL WATER WAY, OF NO GREAT ANTIQUITY. SEVERAL SMALL ARTIFICIAL PONDS HAVE EXISTED IN THIS AREA, AT LEAST TWO NOW FILLED IN, AND FURTHER EARTHWORKS WERE PRESUMABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE OLD MILL: ITS SITE IDENTIFIABLE BY A VAST MOUND IN FACT A GARDEN PROSPECT MOUND - PRN 51002 . NOTHING IN THIS COMPLEX SUGGESTS A DATING AS EARLY AS THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD. {2}~, HTM 40M