Site Event/Activity record ECH6080 - Frog Hall Farm, Tattenhall: Archaeological Strip and Map Report

An archaeological strip and map evaluation was carried out at Frog Hall Farm, Tattenhall, Chester between 27th April and 6th May 2015 prior to development of the site. The work was undertaken by L-P Archaeology and involved the mechanical strip and map of a 25 x 25m squared area on the footprint of the original farmhouse with a focus on investigating the remains of the 18th century building. The earliest phase of activity, dating from the mid-late 17th century, was a rectangular building defined by sandstone wall footings, with a central sandstone wall partition dividing the internal space into two rooms (living area and kitchen area). The building was aligned roughly north-south and had external dimensions of 7.3 by 4.7m. The shallow and irregular nature of these foundations suggest that the superstructure had been a timber-framed construction. This phase of activity possibly included the construction of an 'L'-shaped sandstone wall foundation on the south-east corner of the building; this is thought to represent an external yard wall. Two sections of the wall-line of the building had been modified by the addition of brick wall foundations, but it was unclear whether these formed part of the primary construction or were later repairs/alterations. In the 18th century the building was enlarged and altered. A brick wall foundation was discovered to the east of and parallel to the original sandstone foundations and may represent the addition of an annex or outrigger type addition. This was divided into separate areas by at least one, possibly two, internal divisions. The annex was originally open-ended at its northern end, but was later closed off. A deposit of compact yellow-brown clay, sitting on top of the natural clay subsoil, was found to the north-west of the building and is thought to relate to its first phase of use. The deposit contained fragments of coal and charcoal and a few artefacts including two fragments of clay tobacco pipe bowl of mid-late 17th century and sherds of pottery dating from the late 17th to mid 18th century. In the later 18th century a more sophisticated structure was constructed on the north-west corner of the earlier building. It had substantial wall foundations comprising a single course of large, sandstone blocks topped with well constructed brick and mortar foundations. The ground plan of this later building was not recorded in its entirety but comparison with historic mapping suggests that it did not extend much further. The main block appears to have been square in plan, approximately 10 by 10m, and was divided by an internal partition wall. The remains of probable fireplaces were also recorded. The status of this building is superior to that of the earlier, both in terms of size and materials used and it possibly represents the 'lodge' referred to on Bryant's map of 1831. In the 19th century additions to this building included internal quarry-tile floor surfaces and outbuildings, including two long barn buildings, depicted on the tithe map of circa 1838. Unusually the layout of the farm appears to have remained largely unchanged through the 19th century until their demolition. The modern farmhouse was built in the 1960s. This evidence suggests that the layout of Frog Hall Farm developed as a typical Cheshire dairy farm with the main changes to the layout being driven through innovations in the dairy farming cycle during the later 18th and early 19th centuries. The introduction of the 'model farm' system, increasing productivity, may have led to the construction of the more substantial farmhouse.