Site Event/Activity record ECH6852 - Cranshaw Hall Farm, Bold, Halton, Cheshire: Evaluation and Watching Brief Report (September 2020)

An evaluation and watching brief were undertaken in 2020 on the site of Cranshaw Hall Farm, the site of a late medieval moated settlement and scheduled monument. The current farmhouse is located on the western half of the scheduled monument which includes the site of the early post medieval hall and part of the moat, now infilled. The programme of work was initiated as a result of proposals to rebuild a boundary wall, lay a garden path and an area of hard-standing at the site entrance, as well as run a new electric cable and rebuild a pair of gate piers. This work followed on from a series of five trenches excavated in 2018 (ECH6596/R4218) which identified remains relating to the early post medieval hall, also substantial sandstone footings coinciding with the west flank of the causeway across the moat. Abutting these footings was section of east-west wall indicating that the bank of the causeway was revetted by sandstone walls. In 2020, six trenches were excavated to facilitate the laying of a new electric cable, and construction of a wall and gate pillars. Significant evidence was recorded for the north and south wall footings, also sandstone flooring, of the early post-medieval house. There were also a number of negative features on the moat platform, of post-medieval origin. Also, at the south end of the site, further evidence of the substantial wall, probably revetting the post-medieval causeway, was revealed; this may have replaced a timber or stone bridge. (1)