Monument record 15482 - The Mere and Little Mere

<1> Leah, MD; Wells, CE; Appleby, C; Huckerby, E, 1997, The Wetlands of Cheshire (North West Wetlands Survey 4), p.102 (Monograph). SCH3260.

The Mere 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 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, 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. Rostherne Mere, for example, appears to be a kettle hole enlarged by subsidence in antiquity. More recent subsidence activity has been reported in the areas of Tabley and Tatton Meres.

The Mere (and Little Mere) lie circa 2km to the south of Rostherne Mere. It appears on Bryant's map of 1831 (see source 2), which appears to be the earliest reference. The Mere was visited as part of the North West Wetlands survey; its western fringes form part of a golf course and those to the east are private gardens. Survey work was restricted to confirming an absence of peat deposits and other archaeological features.

<2> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

<3> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, Vol III, p.3 (Book). SCH3228.

Mere - 'a pool, lake'