Before the 'canalising' of the River Ise, flooding was a regular occurence in the Ise Valley and when the cold weather arrived skating was an eargerly anticipated sport. In Burton Latimer, as can be seen below, the favourite spots were close to the two mills, in the meadows off Station Road and the meadows off Finedon Station Road.

NorthamptonMercury 22 January 1881:

On Tuesday a party of skaters went from Kettering to Burton Latimer for the purpose of indulging in their favourite sport on a sheet of ice near the Burton Flour Mills. While they were putting their skates on in an engine shed adjacent to the Mills they were startled by a noise from the roof. It was found that a large ventilator, measuring some 7ft. by 4ft. of zinc and two yards of slates had blown from the ridge of the building, and a little boy who was near at the time was struck by some of the falling débris and was somewhat seriously cut and bruised. Fortunately, the other members of the party, who were also close to the spot at the time of the occurrence, escaped uninjured. 

Left is Wallis's Flour Mill where the accident took place with a rather full River Ise in the foreground.