Monument record 7967 - Linear Earthworks and Cropmarks Near Sibbersfield Hall

<1> Historic England & Archaeological Research Services, 2017, Cheshire National Mapping Programme and Lidar Mapping Project: Sampling the Peak Fringe, Cheshire Plain and Mersey Valley, 1606871 (Digital Archive). SCH8172.

A pair of parallel banks and associated external ditches, of potential medieval origin, are visible as earthworks centred at approximately SJ 4259 5543 on aerial photography and lidar imagery, and appear to remain extant on the latest 2010 vertical photography.

The banks, which may be natural in origin and enhanced during the medieval period, run parallel to one another on an approximately north-west to south-east alignment, before bifurcating and spreading north and south to enclose a wider area, the northernmost bank extending much further to the east and curving. The ditches run parallel and adjacent to the banks in the straighter section of the feature, visible on the banks' external edges to north and south. The banks and ditches may represent medieval field boundaries or enclosures, or demarcate a routeway or area of different land use. They are largely overlain by later medieval / post medieval ridge and furrow ploughing (UIDs 1606619, 1606623) and a post medieval extractive pit breaks the southernmost bank and ditch at SJ 4254 5542 (see 2, 3 & 4).

<2> Royal Air Force, 1944-1947, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, RAF/CPE/UK/1935 RS 4321, 17/01/1947 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8041.

Two parallel banks aligned north-west to south-east c.210-260m long and c.20m wide, slightly curing east at the south-eastern end. Flanked and separated by three ditches c.8m wide which may be showing as cropmarks. Overlain by ridge and furrow created by nineteenth century steam ploughing and cut by a marl pit.

<3> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, SJ4255, First Return 06/12/2008 (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

Visible as slight earthworks.

<4> Next Perspectives, 2010, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery (2010), SJ4255, 11/10/2010 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8173.

<5> Airviews Ltd, 1983-5, 1983-1985 Airviews Survey, Line 7, no.045, 30/05/1985 (Aerial Photograph). SCH5296.

The ditches are visible as cropmarks. These cropmarks appear to be overlain by other cropmarks in this area (see CHER 7966 and CHER 7968).

<6> Bluesky International Ltd, 2010, 2010 Bluesky Survey, UXP_101011_5895, 11/10/2010 (Aerial Photograph). SCH5444.

The banks and ditches are visible as soilmarks.

<7> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 07/07/2017 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

These features are very similar to other esker-like features in the vicinity. However, these features are generally orientated north-south, though parallel pairs do occur. Alternatively these features could be two medieval plough headlands flanking a boundary or trackway. These features also seem to be overlain by other cropmarks (see CHER7966 and CHER 7968).