Refurbishment works completed on historic moat in Argents Mead park

Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 2 November 2023

REFURBISHMENT WORKS to Argents Mead’s historic moat have been completed.

Matt Beamish from the University of Leicester’s Archaeological Services, Tony Mckenna and Mark Wengenroth from Aquaserve, with council representatives Coun. Linda Mullaney, Ward Coun. Michael Mullaney, and Executive Member for Street Scene Services Coun. Lynda Hodgkins (Image: HBBC)

The works have been carried out by Aquaserve Maintenance – who specialise in maintaining and restoring inland waterways – and started back in January.

Aquaserve completed the works after following several archaeological surveys, and gained scheduled monument consent from Historic England. The consent needed to be sought out in advance, as the moat marks ‘an area of historic significance’ locally.

The completed works to the moat are as follows:

Reducing the tree canopy cover to better reflect the original layout of the moat. Tree works included the removal of diseased, weak, and overcrowded trees, and some crown reductions
De-silting the moat to restore the water depth to help it from drying out
Installing bank stabilising material to stop the banks from eroding and undercutting
Introducing new plants to improve biodiversity and strengthen the banks
Re-establishing the fountain and floating islands
Repairs to the overflow system.

Coun. Lynda Hodgkins, the borough council’s Executive Member for Street Scene Services, said: “After a lot of hard work by officers and our contractors I am delighted that the work has been completed on the refurbishment of the Argents Mead moat. The moat is an important historical major feature of our town centre, and these works will ensure its long-term conservation. My thanks to everyone involved.”