Site Event/Activity record ECH7246 - Ince Manor: Programme of Survey, Excavation and Restoration

A programme of survey, repair and restoration was undertaken at Ince Manor in the 1990s and 2000s. The condition of the buildings had been of concern for many years, with the roof of the Hall in poor repair, the roof of the monastic cottages missing altogether and the stonework of the buildings detiorating. The roof and floor timbers of the cottages had been removed by the Department of the Environment in the 1970s for conservation purposes, some had been returned and stored in the hall. In 1974-5, a site investigation highlighted the significance of the standing buildings and identified further elements of the grange complex (source 1). The Mersey Local Plan, 1982, (source 2) again highlighted the importance of the site, and, in 1983, a commissioned study, including a building survey, for Ince Manor was produced by Patience Thompson (source 3). A programme of archaeological recording for the site was formulated (source 4) Emergency repairs of the hall and cottages were undertaken in 1986 to arrest further decay of the buildings. Work included consolidation to a fireplace at first floor level in the north-west wall of the cottages. Repairs to masonry over a window opening at first floor level in the north-east corner of the cottages. Also repairs to the north-west gable of the hall. (source 5) In 1992, a site visit was made to assess the potential of the buildings for photogrammetric recording by English Heritage (source 6). The resulting photogrammetric elevations (scale 1:20) formed part of a detailed building survey, including documentary research, produced in 1994, to inform the repair and restoration of the buildings (source 7). In 1995 a feasibility report (source 8) presented ways forward for the repair and restoration of the Hall and Monastic Cottages. Before restoration of the buildings started, in order to investigate any below ground remains on site, a geophysical survey and archaeological evaluation were undertaken in 2000 (source 9), followed by a targeted excavation in 2001 (source 10). The buildings were eventually bought from the owner by Cheshire County Council in 1996 with grant aid from English Heritage, they were then passed to Chester Historic Building Preservation Trust. Restoration of the buildings began in 2002, with funding largely from the Heritage Lottery Fund (grant awarded 1997, source 11). The existing sandstone walls were repaired and reinforced with new stone. Lost stone walls were rebuilt, window openings repaired and steel frames inserted with glazing. A new Welsh slate covered roof was built on the Hall replacing the corrugated steel roof. The north gable of the hall had to be rebuilt entirely in new stone, reinstating the intra-mural passageway. The north-west corner of the cottages also required rebuilding as it was in such poor repair, each stone was removed, recorded and rebuilt. Oak trusses salvaged from site were pieced together to form the new roof structure to the cottages, this was also covered in Welsh slate. Floors and doors were reinstated in oak. The Victorian barn adjoining the hall was also overhauled. (source 12). In 2004, the buildings were sold to a private owner. Dendrochronological dating was undertaken in 2014 of 2 pieces of oak beam removed from Ince Manor during or prior to restoration works in the 2000s. Two samples were examined - a light oak sample and a dark oak sample. The light oak is likely to have been felled sometime between AD 1612-37 and the dark oak between AD 1535-60. Both samples had the centre ring (ie., the first growth ring the tree put on) and so can define which year they started growing. For the light oak sample this was in 1498 and for the dark oak sample, 1440. (source 13) Correspondence (1990) concerning the conservation work done historically to the roof timbers of the monastic cottages. (source 14)