Site Event/Activity record ECH7276 - Christleton Hall, Christleton, Cheshire: Site Inspection and Archaeological Recording

A site inspection and archaeological recording was undertaken in 2024 at Christleton Hall, Pepper Street, Christleton, Cheshire, in support of development of the grounds of the former University of Law, Chester for residential units, including demolition of late 20th-century buildings and conversion of Christleton Hall from offices to residential apartments, and construction of a new office building. An archaeological desk-based assessment (DBA) was produced in 2017 and updated in 2021. The document outlined that the potential for previously unidentified prehistoric, Roman and medieval remains to be present within the development boundary was considered to be low, but there was some potential for partial remains associated with a former post medieval windmill to survive against the eastern boundary of the development. Also, cartographic and geophysical evidence was interpreted to suggest that the walled garden contained the foundations of former glasshouses and other structures. However, the watching brief was not commissioned prior to development of the site and so limited archaeological mitigation was undertaken after completion of the conversion of Christleton Hall into apartments along with associated works. Within the formerly tarmacked car park, detached residential properties were extant at varying stages of completion: from recently poured concrete foundations to fully finished houses. No structural development had taken place within the walled garden, although the north-western corner had been stripped of soil to create hard standing for a site compound. Part of the footprint of the office building that was to be constructed within the walled garden had not been constructed at the time of the site inspection and so there was potential for an archaeological watching brief. Materials exposed by ground reduction immediately adjacent to the mill mound indicated that part of this feature had survived within the former car park. Minor hand excavation of the post-medieval mill mound to expose a section against the limit of the development revealed it to have been heavily disturbed by trees and rooting, with the original extent likely truncated by the modern carpark and recent construction activity. The mound contained a core of clay deposited onto a foundation layer of stone slabs laid over made ground. (1)