Monument record 1770/0/0 - Grafton deserted medieval village & ornamental pond

<1> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, 9/73-75 Williams S R 1983 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

Possible deserted hamlet of Grafton. A roughly rectangular complex of several small ditched enclosures observed from the air. They appear to be overlain by the ornamental moat (RN:1770/1/2). The area has marked ridge and furrow which is crossed by a former road or track, now a hollow way, coming from the north in the direction of the hall site. The hollow way respects the groups of ridge and furrow, but ignores the modern driveway. The ridge and furow stops at the complex of enclosures. These enclosures probably represent at least some of the tofts and crofts of Grafton

<2> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, 4/61 (Y) (Book). SCH3228.

<2> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, vol .IV p.61 (Book). SCH3228.

The placename first occurs in 1319 and Grafton was still a distinct hamlet within Tilston parish in 1724

<3> Various, Aerial photographs, Grafton 2-6 Williams S R 1983 (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

For air photos, see SRW Grafton 2-6

<4> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), 13517 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

Earthworks adjacent to moat - remains of tofts and crofts. 2 raised platforms 20 sq.m. to S of moat, 2 shallow hollows c.16 sq.m. one to N of moat one to S. 6m wide boundary ditch to W of moat, old field boudary N of moat, and number of short ditches

<4> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 13517 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<5> Higham N J, 2001, Grafton New Hall: Landscape History and Archaeology - and - Preliminary Report on Supplementary Archaeological Investigations (Client Report). SCH4474.

the settlement at Grafton was an area of dispersed settlement in an ancient or woodland landcape, virtually devoid of open fields. The name means "settlement/estate associated with a wood. Woodland field names are recorded in the fields to the south of the scheduled monument and on both sides of the township boundary. Grafton does not occur in the Domesday book. It had emerged as an estate by the 13th century in the barony of Malpas and had given its name to a family of minor gentry/yeoman.

The Landscape history seems to have been characterised by a lack of nucleated settlement, but piecemeal enclosure occurred. These enclosures arguabley developed over a long period but had spread across the entire landcape by 1600. Streamsides were characteristically meadowland but the remainder was periodically ploughed and ridge and furrow relict of medieval ploughing is widespread today and was even more widespread in the post war period before agricultural destruction.

The scheduled DMV earthwork site was either hamlet of 2 or 3 farms or (more probably) a single principal messuage, in which case it was the medieval estate centre which was abandoned as a direct consequence of the construction of the New Hall.

This settlement is part of a much wider archaeologocal landscpae consisiting of ridge and furrow, double banked routeway, field boundaries and marl pits.

<6> Historic England & Archaeological Research Services, 2017, Cheshire National Mapping Programme and Lidar Mapping Project: Sampling the Peak Fringe, Cheshire Plain and Mersey Valley (Digital Archive). SCH8172.

The medieval / post medieval settlement of Grafton, associated ridge and furrow open field system and the later ornamental moat were visible as earthworks on lidar imagery and appear extant on the latest 2010 aerial photography. The complex was mapped as part of the Cheshire National Mapping Programme project.

The main settlement earthworks identified by Authorities 1-4 and Scheduled, centred at SJ 4485 5133, consist of a complex of platforms, potentially tofts, along with ditches and hollow ways. The ornamental moat, likely a garden feature associated with Grafton Hall (UID 68855), appears to overlie the earlier settlement remains. Further platforms and boundaries, probably an extension of the settlement, are located at SJ 4504 5136 to the north of the modern farm and hall.

The remains of the associated medieval open field system are also visible as earthworks surrounding the site, comprising ridge and furrow and associated plough headlands, along with field boundaries and hollow ways. The wider field system beyond the immediate environs of the site was included in the parish ridge and furrow records (UIDs 1607904, 1607985).

A pair of earthwork banks to the immediate south of the moat and surrounding settlement remains may represent some sort of drainage feature or dam for holding water. The remains of a long mound surrounded by a ditch (UID 1585028), probably a later pillow mound to the east of the hall, may also overlie or augment earlier settlement remains (7-8).

<7> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, 06-DEC-2008 (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

<8> Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery (2010), SJ4451 11/10/2010 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8173.