Monument record 1919 - Moated site at Upton Grange

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW20 1986 (Index). SCH2487.

Moat at Upton Grange. In 1954 OS described the moat with an average width of 6m & depth of 1.2m. It was water-filled throughout its length, being fed by a spring at SJ 42386909. Traces of the W end of the S arm & of the S end of the W arm are visible as a slight dry depression 6.5m wide & 0.6m deep alongside the hedges. Enclosed area mostly orchard with no trace of any building foundation. By 1976 moat held seasonal water. In 1986 mutilated at W end of N arm

<2> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), /no.95 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

Moat now only fully extant on E side, where it is 5-6m wide & 1-1.5m deep. Water-filled but choked with scrub & lined with trees. Moat narrower & shallower on N side & on S side dry. Moat traceable outside scheduled area for almost full extent of S side & edge of W side represented by hedge boundary running N along E limit of garden to Upton Grange. Orchard in enclosed area now disappeared. Boundary between former orchard & N third of site represented by ditch, approx. 1m wide & 0.4m deep.

<3> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 13415 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

The moated site at Upton Grange comprises much of the island originally measuring c.115m x 105m together with the surrounding moat which has been partially infilled on its SW side. That part of the island overlain by modern domestic and farm buildings is not included. Moated sites are generally seen as the prestigious residences of the Lords of the manor. The moat marked the high status of the occupier, but also served to deter casual raiders and wild animals. Most moats were constructed between 1250 and 1350. The spring fed moat at Upton Grange remains waterfilled at its N and part of its S sides but is predominantly dry at its E side and is considerably scrub choked and tree lined throughout. Ridge and furrow run E-W across the SE part of the island and there are traces of what is thought to be an internal pond with inlet/outlet channels running E-W and N-S. Oral tradition claims the moat was once bridged by a timber structure on its E side but no visible evidence to support this now exists.

Much of the moated site at Upton Grange survives well. The moat is well defined for most of its length and is of high archaeological potential providing ideal conditions for the survival of organic remains in its waterlogged and silted stretches. The island will hold evidence of the internal layout of the site and traces of the bridge noted in oral tradition may also exist on the E side of the monument.

<4> Cheshire Historic Environment Record, 1990-2001, Jill Collens and Rob Philpott's Aerial Photographs, LM 90.2023 (Aerial Photograph). SCH5403.

<5> Cheshire Historic Environment Record, 1989, Jill Collens' Aerial Photographs, 6.0591, 6.0593-4 (Aerial Photograph). SCH9711.