Monument record 7164 - Blakenhall Moss

<1> Leah, MD; Wells, CE; Appleby, C; Huckerby, E, 1997, The Wetlands of Cheshire (North West Wetlands Survey 4), p.186-7 (Monograph). SCH3260.

Blakenhall Moss was investigated by the North West Wetlands project, an archaeological and paleoecological study of the varied wetlands of Cheshire, undertaken between 1993-95. It forms part of a series of wetlands lying between Crewe and the Shropshire border, with a further outlying group to the north-east, between Crewe and Alsager. Within this area, a variety of wetland types is represented from numerous small basin mires, often less than 1 hectare in extent, to the valley mire deposits found alongside some of the minor rivers and streams. Larger mosses (circa 10-20 hectares) such as White Moss, Oakhanger Moss and Wybunbury Moss, also occur. The underlying geology is masked by drift deposits made up of both till and fluvio-glacial sands and gravels. In places these deposits have resulted in the flat landscape characteristic of the Cheshire Plain, but in some areas, particularly to the south of Crewe, a much more varied and irregular topography occurs. Many wetlands developed in kettle holes left in the surface of these glacial deposits, although the role of subsidence of salt solution hollows also played a part in some cases, such as Wybunbury. In addition, it has been suggested that both White Moss and its immediate neighbour to the west, Oakhanger Moss, may owe their origin to the former presence of pingos.

Blakenhall Moss is wooded and lies circa 2km north-east of the Doddington Estate. However, it has been heavily disturbed and contained only 0.2m of badly humified wood peat, intercalated with silty clays. A spot pollen sample was taken from the base of the wood layer at 1.20m depth, it indicated a late/post-Glacial transition with an open vegetation of sedges with some Betula scrub. Due to the poor pollen preservation and scarcity of grains in the soil deposits, the site has limited use as a palaecological archive.

<2> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, Vol III, p.52 (Book). SCH3228.

Name means 'at the black nook'; site lies in a valley opening into that of Checkley Brook.