Monument record 245/3 - Ponds and Leat South-east of Moat at Minshull Vernon

<1> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME), 1994, Moated Site at Minshull Vernon (Report). SCH1075.

Three ponds lie within an area of neglected deciduous woodland known as Larch Wood. Larch Wood is situated some 50 metres south-east of the moated site at Minshull Vernon (CHER 245/1). The ponds, which are roughly 10 metres in width, lie end-to-end measuring a total of 67 metres in length and survive to a maximum depth of 2 metres. They are probably post-medieval in date, although the remains of a channel which may have linked them to the nearby earlier moat were noted. No definite relationship was observable between the ponds and moat however, so any association between them remains purely conjectural. Poorly preserved broad ridge and furrow ploughing is also visible within the wood together with some possible field boundary remains, apparently cut by the ponds. These ponds are distinct from three amorphous hollows, probably marl pits, first shown on the Ordnance Survey map of 1875 (see 2). Field observation of the ponds was conducted during the survey of the nearby moated site.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6960, 1875 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

<3> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, Composite DTM 1m (2022) (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

The ridge and furrow earthworks are visible in the area of Larch Wood and Burnt Covert. The earthworks to the north and north-west of Brunt Covert are poorly preserved.

<4> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 28/10/2024 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The LIDAR survey (see 3) shows a number of ponds or pits in Larch Wood. A long pond, which would appear to be three interconnected ponds orientated end on end and south-east to north-west, lie c.100 metres to the south-east of the moat, to the immediate south-west of the possible leat or drain. At c.70 metres long, and c.14 metres wide, these would appear to most closely resemble the features described in the RCHME survey (see 1).

About 30 meters further southeast, there are two or three additional ponds of similar size and shape, though they are not as neatly aligned. To the immediate northeast of these ponds are three larger interconnected ponds or pits, each about 30 meters by 15 meters. These larger ponds are depicted on historic maps (see 2) and cut through the medieval ridge and furrow in the area.

All the ponds appear to be connected by short channels to the drain or leat, although one pond in the second group may intersect it. Notably, this particular pond is the only one from this group shown on the 1875 map.