Landscape record 7993/1 - Styperson Park

<1> Harrison, W, 1902, Ancient Forests, Chases and Deer Parks in Cheshire, p.26 (Article in Journal). SCH7172.

Styperson Park, in Adlington, is referred to in Leigh's Natural History of Lancashire and Cheshire (see 2), but the allusion in it is to sheep and not to deer.

<2> Leigh, C., 1700, The Natural History of Lancashire, Cheshire, and the Peak, in Derbyshire: With an Account of the British, Phoenician, Armenian, Greek and Roman Antiquities in Those Parts, Vol.II p.1 (Book). SCH9342.

In a 'Park call'd Stiperly, in Cheshire, belonging to John Legh of Adlington, Esq. ..., are an unusual kind of Sheep; they are of a larger size than most others, and bear rather a kind of Hair than Wooll. They have all Four Horns, and some of them of an Extraordinary
size; the Two Horns next the Neck are erect like those of Goats, but larger, the others next the Forehead are curved, like those of other Sheep, whether or no these be a particular Species of Sheep, or perhaps might come at first by Goats and Sheep engend'ring together, I cannot determine, their Flesh is agreeable enough, yet different from other Mutton, yet more resembling that than Goat's Flesh.

<3> Earwaker, J P, 1877-1880, East Cheshire Past & Present, Vol.II p.332 (Book). SCH1080.

See (2).

<4> Burdett, P. P., 1777, A Survey of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH113.

The park is depicted on this map.

<5> Greenwood, C. & Greenwood J., 1819, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2115.

The park is depicted on this map. A building is depicted in the middle of the park on the hill. A further building is depicted on the northern boundary of the park (see CHER 7993/4). The pool is depicted on the southern side of the park (see CHER 7993/3).

<6> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

The park is depicted on this map. A building is depicted in the middle of the park on the hill accessed by a road or track which runs south over the dam or causeway associated with pool is depicted on the southern side of the park (see CHER 7993/3). Two further buildings are depicted on the northern boundary of the park (see CHER 7993/4).

<7> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 3/2 c.1850 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

This map depicts Styperson Park. Scattered trees cover the southern side of the park. A small building is depicted to the south of the quarries (see CHER 7993/2). This building seems substantially smaller than the building located in the centre of the part on earlier maps (see 4,5 & 6). Two buildings are depicted on the northern edge of the park, and the eastern building is depicted as a house (see CHER 7933/4). The pool is depicted on the southern side of the park (see CHER 7993/3). The plot is described as Styperson Park, buildings and quarry.

<8> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, Vol.I p.184 (Book). SCH3228.

The earliest documentary reference to the park dates from 1700 (see 3 & 2).

<9> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ9379, 1871-1873 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

This map depicts and names the park. Approximately one third of the park is occupied by quarries.

<10> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Watson, M. 08/08/2017 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

Keepers Cottage, reputedly the gamekeepers residence, is a late seventeenth century house and shippon, though the building is thought to contain an earlier sixteenth century building (see CHER 7993/4). The pool/s (see CHER 7993/3) may be remnants of a later designed landscape.

<11> Higham N J, 1984-9, Professor Nick Higham's Aerial Photographs, 1988/1/4/38-9 (Aerial Photograph). SCH7659.

<12> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 31/01/2023 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The eastern boundary of the park, which coincides with the township boundary between Adlington and Pott Shrigley, is defined by a high stone wall. The northern and western boundaries are also defined by a drystone wall, though the western wall is in poor condition. The southern boundary is less well defined. Early nineteenth century maps, such a Bryant's (see 6) depict the southern boundary at the southern edge of the pools (see CHER 7993/3) before running along a shallow steam valley to Sugar Lane.

The park is reputedly medieval, but there is an absence of direct evidence to support this. However, Harrison reports (see 1 p.23) that in 1462 Robert Legh received a licence to impark his woods of Whytelygh-hay, Adlington and Whyteleghgreve. The latter, Whyteleghgreve, is unlocated, but could be associated with Whitley Green (aka Whitley Hay), which is circa one kilometre to the south-west of Styperson Park (see 8 p.182). However Ormerod (see 13) describes Whyteleghgreve as remaining as a park until the end of the eighteenth century when it was abandoned in favour of re-establishing the park at Adlington Hall. This description suggests that Styperson Park and Whyteleghgreve are one and the same, and this supposition would appear to fit the map evidence for the period (see 4, 5 & 6) which depicts the parks at Adlington and Styperson (note: the location of the park at Whytelygh-hay can be inferred from the farmstead called Lodge to the south-east of Whitley Green).

<13> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.III p.657 (Book). SCH1389.

Whyteleghgreve remained as a park until the end of the eighteenth century when it was abandoned in favour of re-establishing the park at Adlington Hall.

<14> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Land Line and Master Map Vector Maps, 31/01/2023 (Maps and Plans). SCH4491.