Many thanks to Robert, Pendeen and Martin for their comments.
I fully appreciate Martin's comment " that caution is needed before linking the pipe to the pottery. Trenches dug for pipes have to be back filled and who knows the provenance of that fill".
What appears to have happened in this excavation is that a working platform was cut into the hillside onto the Devonian bedrock. The mill pond, constructed of substantial walls, and associated buildings were constructed upon this platform. The wall buttresses were built into the wall, and not added at a later date, and the wall was built to specifically incorporate the drain with stones cut in a circular fashion. From this we have to conclude that the drain was an integral part of the wall building when built. The lowest sediment of the mill pond (i.e.) the bottom of the drain is producing 10/11th century Saxon wares thoughout the area of the mill pond bottom excavated. The sediment contexts above this producing early medieval local sherds - 12/14th century. Above those in further sediment contexts are transitional early local glazed sherds - 15th/16th century. In this particular case there was no trench dug for the pipe - it simply stuck into the base of the mill pond at bedrock level.
Kindest regards,
Trevor
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