Site Event/Activity record ECH5919 - Desk Based Assessment for Land adjoining Upton Cross House, known locally as "The Cockpit". Upton-by-Chester

Desk based assessment prepared in advance of CWAC proposals to upgrade "The Cockpit" in order to re-evaluate the site and shed further light on its past history. The assessment, while uncovering new evidence in respect of the history of the site since 1735, has uncovered no evidence of a cockpit at Upton, other than the suggestion in the local WI scrapbook of 1951. the form and size of the sub-circular depression is not dissimilar to description of other cockpit sites, this description can equally apply to any feature having its origins in the extractive industries. The tithe map of 1839 records the site as part of "Sandhole Croft". This area was landscaped as pleasure gardens for the Victoria Hotel, (established in 1850,after the banning of Cock fighting by Acts of parliament between 1833 and 1845). In summary, the site is found to be a sunken garden lying within a sub circular depression likely to be the former sandhole that gave its name to sandhole croft, as recorded in 1839. Prior to the 1839 tithe record there is no evidence of the site being developed in any way.