Site Event/Activity record ECH3254 - Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin Site Visit/Survey/Excavation ~ Hulme Hall moated site

A rescue excavation was undertaken during October in 1974 at Hulme Hall, Allostock, in advance of pipe-laying from the house to a septic tank. A trench was laid along the proposed line of the pipe and, once the topsoil had been removed, a number of destruction layers were observed containing pieces of roofing stone, glass fragments, brick rubble, thick plaster pieces and thin plaster coated with probable lime wash. No timber was found although there were charcoal scatters at the southern end of the trench. Beneath the thin plaster layer, at a depth of circa 1m, a well laid brick floor, showing little wear, was encountered. This ran up to what had been the western wall of a building, indicated by a rubble filled foundation trench. A small part of the southern wall was also exposed. Three upright flagstones, possibly supports, were found at the southern end of the trench. Also, four worked sandstone blocks were observed following the line of the southern end of the building; these may have marked the position of a door. The small amount of pottery recovered from the destruction layers were mostly Staffordshire ware of various types including coarse ware, thrown slip ware, press-moulded ware and mottled manganese-glazed ware; dating lies between 1650-1740. Other finds included clay pipe stem pieces and one pipe bowl of the same date as the pottery, also some heavily corroded nails. Since completion of the excavation, a J.C.B digging circa 3m from the northern end of the trench, exposed two moulded sandstone blocks lying loose at a depth of circa 1.25m. Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin began in 1973 as an annual report of recent archaeological discoveries and ran for 10 issues until 1985.