Sections of brick wall from various eras were found along the lower side of the dam. The heights of these walls correspond to the level of the road surface which was gradually raised over time. It appears that the dam has also suffered from partial collapse on the downside; this has been dealt with by the part reconstruction of the walls in an attempt to hold the dam up.
However, it seems that these measures proved to be insufficient and that eventually it was considered necessary to completely remodel the dam to make it stable. The rebuilding of the dam was probably carried out in the 1930's, after the local authority had taken ownership of the Leasowes.
Interestingly, this historic photograph shows the dam with a tall brick wall with regular spaced piers on both sides. The style of the ladies dress would suggest that the picture was taken around the end of the 19th century, or perhaps early into the 20th century. Close inspection of the photograph reveals that the lower wall is already beginning to tilt indicating some movement in the structure of the dam.
