Site Event/Activity record ECH3546 - Ashfield Hall Farm Archaeological Audit

Archaeological desk-based assessment, supplemented with field inspection, undertaken in 1993 at Ashfield Hall Farm, investigating the origins of the former hall and its estate. Despite a documentary reference to Ashfield Manor in 1317, there are no references or physical remains on site to suggest the existance of a Hall before the end of the 18th century, indeed, the available evidence indicates that Ashfield was an area of unenclosed heathland on the northern edge of Great Neston. The surviving remains of Ashfield Hall, dating to the 18th century, are in ruinous condition, converted into farm buildings, with the severely truncated core of the Hall now used as a barn. A number of marl pits exist on the estate but are thought to post medieval in date; the field name evidence indicates late enclosure of the land. The parkland landscape associated with the Hall has not survived and much of the woodland destroyed. Some evidence survives for earlier medieval, possibly Saxon, features including a substantial field bank and ditch, probably the boundary between Great Neston and Leighton. Also three fragments of sandstone were discovered in 1991 and are thought to represent a Saxon cross base, possibly a boundary marker, and potentially relating to the 'Headless Cross' which occurs in field names within the former estate. When the farmyard was visitied 12/05/1993, as part of this assessment, five sandstone fragments were present. (1)