Monument record 2116/2 - Newhall Earthworks

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1994, Aerial Photograph of Newhall (Aerial Photograph). SCH7277.

A sub circular earthwork c. 40m in diameter is visible to the immediate west of Whichurch Road and to the immediate south of the lane to Royals Wood Farm. Further earthworks, probably associated with the mill pond to Newhall Mill are also visible (see CHER 2116/1).

<2> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

A complex of earthworks, some probably associated with the the mill pond to Newhall Mill (CHER 2116/1), are visible to the west of Whitchurch Road.

<3> National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd, 1992-3, National Remote Sensing Centre County Survey (1992-1993) (Aerial Photograph). SCH5297.

A complex of earthworks, some probably associated with the the mill pond to Newhall Mill (CHER 2116/1), are visible to the west of Whitchurch Road.

<4> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 290/2 c.1845 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

The mill pond (see CHER 2116/1) almost encloses a small island which is recorded as Windmill Bank and Mill Pond is the accompanying award. The island corresponds with the small mound visible on aerial photographs.

<5> Bluesky International Ltd, 2005-2006, 2005-2006 Bluesky Survey (Aerial Photograph). SCH5483.

A complex of earthworks, some probably associated with the the mill pond to Newhall Mill (CHER 2116/1), are visible to the west of Whitchurch Road. The small circular mound is clearly visible.

<6> Medieval Settlement Research Group, 2009, Field Investigation at Newhall Tower, Newhall, Cheshire, p.59-67 (Article in Journal). SCH6741.

Potentially the earliest earthwork identified is a ditch, c.130m long, c.25m wide and c.1m deep, between the two watercourses and to the west of Newhall Mill Farm. This ditch is cut by the deeper ditch containing the southern watercourse (Newhall Cut) and there was no evidence to suggest it continued to the south. At its northern end the ditch turns 90 degrees to the east and runs for a further 50m. This ditch is interpreted by the surveyor as part of the site of Newhall Tower (CHER 2116/3) and to be medieval in date. It is possible that the two watercourse were recut to failitate drainage and are infact elements of the original boundary to the manor. Several linear features, on a similar alignment and between 15 and 100m in length, survive to the east of this feature and may be contemporary features.

A section of the hollow way associated with the original alignment of Whitchurch Road survives to the south of the modern dairy complex. The road layout was closely tied to the layout of the mill complex and is believed to be at least late medieval in date. A near north-west to south-east aligned earthwork at the southern end of the hollow way has been interpreted as the natural line of the southern watercourse. A small building platform was identified at this junction and was dated by the surveyor to the medieval period or earlier.

One of the most prominent earthworks is a large circular mound, c.45m in diameter, initially identified from aerial photographs (see 1). Unfortunately this earthwork was partially levelled in 2007 and now comprises a number of low broad scarps. Masonry fragments were reputedly removed during the levelling. The surveyor believed this to be the site of Newhall Tower (see CHER 2116/3). To the north-west a section of the rectangular moat ditch survives (c.30m wide and 0.8m deep). The moat formed part of Newhall Mill’s mill pond and is clearly defined on the tithe map (see 4). The surveyor suggests that some of the features associated with the Newhall Tower (see CHER 2116/3) enclosure may have utilised per-existing features associated with a Roman fort or practice camp.

<7> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards, R 07/01/2014 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The tithe map (see 4), aerial photographs and earthwork survey (see 6) strongly suggest the presence of a moat within the complex of earthworks. The moat platform would correspond with the sub-circular mound. How this would correspond with the plot name ‘Moat Meadow and Mill Field’ recorded in the tithe award for the field to the south east isn’t clear. Place-name evidence would suggest that the area encompassing the moat (see 4), once contained or was adjacent to a windmill. There is little supporting evidence to the assertion that the moat lay within a larger, potentially earlier enclosure. Both watercourses are heavily modified and the enclosure ditch identified in the earthworks survey (see 6), is probably a feeder channel from the northern watercourse to Newhall Cut and the mill pond. The earlier watercourse identified to the east of Whitchurch Road corresponds to the course of Dodd’s Green Lane as depicted on the tithe map.

<8> Fradley, M, 2008, Newhall Tower: The Identification of the Medieval Castle and a Nearby Cropmark from Aerial Photographs, p.91-97 (Article in Journal). SCH7279.

A combination of cropmarks and earthworks observed on aerial photographs and bisected by the modern Whitchurch Road. The possible site of Newhall Tower (see CHER 2116/3) is enclosed by a large sub-rectangular boundary represented by a dark cropmark and a slight earthworks. Near the centre of the enclosure is a square depression and circular mound which is identified as the site of the tower.

<9> Various, Written Communication to the HER, fradley M 03/04/2006 (Written Communication). SCH3756.

A few sherds of late medieval pottery recovered from the site during a site visit.