Monument record 861/2 - Alleged Moat or Rabbit Warren

<1> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, p.18 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

SJ 564 665: Large roughly rectangular platform, possibly originally a natural hillock with an artificially flattened top which has a marked slope towards the east. Two former watercourses bound the two short sides of the platform as well as the long northern side where they meet in a slight feature which could not be interpreted from the air. Enquiries at the adjacent farm elicited the information that this feature had been a multiple fish trap. The purpose of the rectangular platform is at present unknown [Williams SR].

<2> Royal Air Force, 1944-1947, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, RAF/CPE/UK/1935 no.4045-6 17/01/1947 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8041.

<3> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME), 1987, Field Observation on SJ 56 NE 22 (Unpublished Report). SCH9115.

No field evidence was found for the alleged antiquity at the location specified by Williams (1). The area indicated is the creation of two natural stream channels, the arm to the east has been revised by a drainage channel. The arm to the west appears to have been considerably deepened by removal of material from its sides and by its use as an access way into the surrounding fields. The sides of this track are colonised by rabbits, unmanaged. The supposed area of the moat enclosure was seen to be overlain by broad ridge and furrow from the south, no definition was seen to the southern side of the alleged moat or warren.

<4> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, 1m DSM Composite 2017 (19/11/2021) (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

<5> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 22/11/2021 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The grid reference given in William’s account (see 1) is imprecise. It is possible that the feature being described is the natural landform at SJ 5622 6637 as this would fit with the description of the watercourses. This is one of two possible locations identified by Wilson-North (3). The LIDAR data (see 4) currently available from the Environment Agency does not seem to support any of the locations as the site of an artificial warren. For further discussion of the warren and its probable location see CHER 861/1.