Site Event/Activity record ECH5341 - New Visitor Services and Cable Trench at Little Moreton Hall, Congleton, Cheshire: Archaeological Watching Brief Report

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken between November 2011 and January 2012 at Little Moreton Hall to monitor the excavation of a cable trench to the east of the moated enclosure and also groundworks associated with the extension of the existing ticket office including services and drainage to the south-west. The eastern cable trench excavations exposed a single pit or ditch containing late Roman pottery, also late medieval dumped deposits, along with stone and brick walls and a culvert forming part of a range of outbuildings shown on historic maps from the late 19th century and demolished during the later 20th century. An undated possible headland and boundary wall was also exposed, as well as a ditch defining a boundary shown on maps from the late 19th to late 20th century. The ticket office extension area and associated drainage revealed a sequence of dumped deposits or levelling layers possibly related to the construction of the adjacent Prospect Mound and the cleaning out of the moat surrounding Little Moreton Hall. (1)