North Road, leads to the belief that a certain degree of innovation and adaptation was involved in translating the design across to dams. The mortar used for jointing the masonry blocks is an especially innovative feature of the dam. Chestnut (1982) reports that "manufactured Roman Cement (rather than burnt lime or gypsum) is the main cementing component in the mortar. This material forms a strong and dense product and probably explains the lack of leaching in the (permeable) in-service environment....." The use of Roman Cement is confirmed by Moriarty: "All the masonry ... in the wall is set in Roman Cement, the stones having been carefully dressed to templates......". A contemporary report in the Empire newspaper states "That portion of the work which is subject to the continual action of water has been set in Roman cement, and the remaining portion in Portland cement". From H.J. Cowan's paper on the history of concrete, it appears "Roman Cement" dates from the production of this material in England by James Parker in 1796 from clays containing veins of calcareous matter, while Portland Cement was first produced by Joseph Aspdin in 1811 from separately occurring deposits of limestone and clay. It is believed that this is the first dam to incorporate Portland and manufactured Roman Cement in its construction. Another innovative aspect was Randle's method of handling and placing the masonry blocks in the dam. A description is given in the report of 8 June 1855 on the laying of the foundation stone, and is quoted below. "The commencement already made, consists in the formation of a timber frame over the entire site of the dam, running at the height of thirty three feet; along this a travelling-jenny travels, and the operations of raising the blocks and lowering them in their destination are performed with the utmost precision. A weight of twenty tons may be moved by this machinery, but the power applied in the present work will probably range between two and six tons. The labour is now directed to the excavation of the sides of the ravine to form footings and abutments for the dam wall, and also to preparing and laying the courses. The circumstances of the water being at its lowest ebb is very propitious to the operations...." Associated with this was a rail line to transport the masonry blocks from the quarry to the gantry at the dam.