Monument record 6316 - Tooler's Stone, Hunt's Lane

<1> Vale Royal Borough Council, 2006, Vale Royal Borough Council's List of Locally Important Buildings (Report). SCH5487.

CRITERION E: BUILDINGS INCLUDED IN THE VALE ROYAL BOROUGH COUNCIL HISTORIC BUILDINGS SURVEY 1977 - 79

<2> Vale Royal Borough Council, 1977-79, The Vale Royal Borough Council Historic Buildings Survey Index Card, CUD/HB 51 (Paper Archive). SCH5481.

<3> Bevan, R.M., 2012, Tracking Down Ancient Highways, Delamere Forest, Peytefynsty and a Roman Road, p.6 (Unpublished Report). SCH7161.

The Toolerstone stands approximately 30 yards from Weaverham road along the south side of an old green lane known as Hunt's Lane. Believed to have been unearthed an re- erected in the 1930's where the boundaries of Weaverham and Sandiway met the commons of Cuddington as shown on the tithe map.

The author suggests that this is also a medieval marker stone for a routeway known as Peytefynsty mentioned in 1275 and 1359 Vale Royal Abbey ledger book.

<4> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 416/2c (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

The tithe map of cuddington shows the plot the south of the current location of the stone is named "Corner by Foolerstone". It is not clear if the stone's location is also marked.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6072, 1874 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

Depicted at present location.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6071, 1898 (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

Depicted at present location.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6071, 1910 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

Depicted at present location.

<8> English Heritage/DCMS, Various, Notification of inclusion, amendment or removal from the List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Ellis, V 24/10/2013 (Written Communication). SCH4885.

The Toolerstone is believed to be a medieval boundary marker that defined the boundary of the lands of Vale Royal Abbey, Whitegate, Cheshire where they met with the Delamere Forest. An abbey ledger book dating to 1359 records the location of a boundary marker: 'from a place where Peytefynsty descends to the commons of Cudyton, to the stone put and ordained there...'. Peytefynsty was an ancient highway that formed the north-western boundary of Vale Royal Abbey and defined the limit of their grazing rights; Hunt's Lane is believed to form part of this route and the Toolerstone is believed to have been one of five known stone markers on the route. The origins of the stone's name remain unknown.

In the 19th century the Toolerstone was moved from its original position and re-erected in the grounds of a nearby house known as 'Toolerstone', but in 1930, and using a tithe map of 1838, the stone was returned to its present location on Hunt's Lane. The Toolerstone is located on a raised bank on the south side of Hunt's Lane (the latter visible as a hollow way) approximately 26m to the east of Weaverham Road. It consists of a square stone that stands approximately 1m tall. The upper part of the stone is heavily worn and incorporates heavily eroded patterning or markings, which appear to possibly be later graffiti. A small arrow has been spray-painted on to the lower part of the stone's north face. The stone is mounted on a concrete plinth, which was introduced when the stone was returned to the site in 1930; the plinth is barely visible due to vegetation and large sandstones placed in front, which act as a low retaining wall.