Monument record 15395 - Lower Moss Wood

<1> Leah, MD; Wells, CE; Appleby, C; Huckerby, E, 1997, The Wetlands of Cheshire (North West Wetlands Survey 4), p.191 (Monograph). SCH3260.

Lower Moss Wood was investigated by the North West Wetlands project, an archaeological and paleoecological study of the varied wetlands of Cheshire, undertaken between 1993-95. It is a 15 hectare site under woodland, with circa 2.0-2.5m of truncated wood and raised mire peats. Two samples from 2.35m and 2.30m depth were analysed for pollen. 99% arboreal pollen was recorded in both sampels but the composition of the spectra differ. At 2.35 alder pollen reachs less than 1% and at 2.30m it is 64%. Alder, together with oak, appears to replace pine and birch but the counts are relative. The Flandrian I/II transition occurs between 2.30m and 2.35m. The deposits here have the potential to provide vegetational history of the later Mesolithic and possibly Neolithic periods.