Site Event/Activity record ECH3455 - Renovations and Archaeological Excavation and Recording, Little Moreton Hall and Moat, Early 1990s

Programme of renovation and archaeological recording at Little Moreton Hall in the early 1990s, including repair of the South Range, Long Gallery, Gate House and Secret Room. Also part of the north-west cross wing was converted for use as a custodian's flat, including construction of a new garage/work shop and installation of services across yards, floors and lawns. Compartmentation work was also undertaken within the roof of the East Range. The programme of work included the following:- - A photogrammetric survey undertaken by English Heritage in 1989 (see ECH3454); the resulting drawings formed the basis for the repair and recording work. - Tree ring dating by the laboratory at Nottingham University. - Field Survey of the landscape of ponds, dams, banks, watercourses and cultivation earthworks surrounding the Hall. - Geophysical survey of an area to the south of the Hall undertaken by Keele University. - Remote sensing of the cobbled yard to locate post medieval interventions - Study of the window glass by the computer department of Staffordshire Polytechnic using variations of colour, distortion, size and opacity. - Excavation of the areas affected by the groundworks for the garage/workshop, installation of services and other repairs. Specifically, these included:- > Two service trenches across the cobbled courtyard to serve the new Custodian's flat. These extended to more than 1m deep, reaching the natural sand below a stratified series of later medieval garden and yard make-up almost devoid of finds. A well, now capped, and large rubbish pit were encountered. The pit extended beneath the junction of the Great Hall porch and kitchen which had caused subsidence in antiquity; attempts probably in the late 19th century had been made to underpin the building at this point. > A service trench across the floor of the 15th century, north-west cross wing, done by contractor in Nov 1991 without an archaeologist present. However, the gritstone base of a former garderobe was seen in section at the site of a brick shed in the 19th century. > Service trenches to the south of the moat connecting new service building to the south-east and to the south-west of the moated site; the latter cutting through the north-eastern extent of one of the prospect mounds. Work begun in Oct 1991 was halted when the site was scheduled 25/11/91, it re-commenced in March 1992. > Excavation of the site of new service building (workshops, garages) an area of 230m straddling the divide between the precinct of the Hall and farm curtilege, taking the form of a low, sandy bank, much infilled in particular by 18th century rubbish on the farm side. Dumped finds included 'masses' of domestic pottery and glass, mostly late 18th/early 19th century in date. Dumping had clearly coincided with improvements within the Hall, so fine late medieval Cistercian, slip-inlaid and relief-impressed tile floors were replaced by flag stones with the original, well-worn tiles thrown out. > Excavation of the South Range garderobe due to structural overhaul; finds recovered included chamber pots, other pottery, balls, leather shoes (mostly childrens'). Also more limited excavation at the site of the North-West Wing garderobe. > A service trench was cut through the north-east corner of the 'outer' prospect mound, to a depth of 1.6m revealing a good stratigraphic sequence in an area suspected to contain traces of a greater garden, sealed under silt upcast from the moat. A well buried roughly cobbled roadway, which approached the site from the south-west, was also discovered. It is probable that this is an antecedent to the existing C16th stone bridge located off centre. No garden features were encountered.