Monument record 15563 - Circular Enclosure South of Walker Barn

<1> Historic England & Archaeological Research Services, 2017, Cheshire National Mapping Programme and Lidar Mapping Project: Sampling the Peak Fringe, Cheshire Plain and Mersey Valley, 1600899 (Digital Archive). SCH8172.

A small circular enclosure of uncertain date is visible as earthworks centred at SJ 9559 7347 on historic aerial photography and remains extant on the latest 2011 vertical imagery. The enclosure is 19 metres in diameter and consists of an external bank and internal ditch, with a break in the perimeter to the south. The enclosure appears to be slightly terraced into the west-facing slope. A hollow way runs around the western and north-western sides of the enclosure and appears to respect it.

There are various potential interpretations for the small enclosure's form and purpose. It could be a later prehistoric henge, cairn or funerary monument, or a medieval enclosure associated with the hunting grounds of the Royal Forest of Macclesfield. Alternatively, it could be a later feature associated with some sort of extraction (2-3).

<2> Royal Air Force, 1945-1979, RAF Aerial Photographs, RAF/58/1784 F21 0028 10-JUN-195 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8316.

Vertical aerial photograph reference number

<3> Next Perspectives, 2011, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery (2011), Next Perspectives APGB Imagery SJ9573 08-APR-2011 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8291.

Vertical aerial photograph reference number

<4> National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd, 1992-3, National Remote Sensing Centre County Survey (1992-1993) (Aerial Photograph). SCH5297.

Feature is shown clearly on the 1992 county aerial survey as a circular earthwork with a break in the South

<5> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, SJ9573 (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

Circular earthwork visible.