Monument record 15479 - Arley Moss

<1> Leah, MD; Wells, CE; Appleby, C; Huckerby, E, 1997, The Wetlands of Cheshire (North West Wetlands Survey 4), p.103, 105 (Monograph). SCH3260.

Arley Moss, the site of which lies just to the north of Great Budworth, 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 depicted as an area of wasteland on Burdett's map of 1777 (see source 2), the name also appears on Bryant's map of 1831 (source 3), but is then absent on later mapping, with exception of the use of moss placenames (Arley Moss Farm, Moss End). Field investigations failed to reveal any surviving organic deposits. Neither is the present field pattern, with its regular square pattern as opposed to long thin strips ('moss rooms'), suggestive of a former moss.

The former Arley Moss was one of a series of wetlands lying in the north of the county, to the north and west of Knutsford and extending to Nantwich to the south-west. Sites include Rostherne Mere, Tatton Mere, Tabley Mere and, further west, Pick Mere and Budworth Mere. These wetlands are characterised by areas of open water, many of which are peat-fringed. Despite placename evidence suggesting the former existence of mosses, such as Arley Moss, surviving examples are not common in this region, with the only extant site being Holford Moss, located between Knutsford and Northwich, in the centre of a large brine extraction field. The presence of underlying saliferous beds appears to be the reason for the existence/expansion of many of the wetlands.

<2> Burdett, P. P., 1777, A Survey of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH113.

Arley Moss is depicted as an area of wasteland on Burdett's map of 1777.

<3> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

The name 'Arley Moss' appears on Bryant's Map of 1831.