The Water Way
It was her intention to alter Chisenbury Priory from a Victorian walled garden to a more modern one that would meet the 1960s and beyond. In addition the waterway coming down from the river Avon via the leat at the back of the thatched houses in East Chisenbury had to be timed and regulated by the main river hatches (which once controlled the mill water there). The leat, which had to be dug out of silt in 1964, provided the water supply to two dried up wells that were found near to the Chisenbury Priory. The waterway from within Chisenbury Priory gardens was completely dug out of silt. This was essential, so as to get the correct flow of water through the Priory gardens. The waterway ran inside the Priory garden towards and below the Ilex tree. This Dordogne was very deep here. It also had a brick cage, so eels could be stored here after being caught in the main hatches. The water travelled on through the winding rough.The River Avon
The main river Avon was dredged as far as Pewsey back in the late 1960s, however Sir Richard Harvey did not allow the main river Avon at Chisenbury to be dredged. The decline in wildlife, such as the kingfisher, came about in 1976 when the River Avon's water level became so low due to the summer drought. Even the stickle backs within the waterway of Chisenbury garden disappeared.