Monument record 130/2/2 - Prospect Mound to south-west of moat, Little Moreton Hall

<1> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Turner R C 1984 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

Within the moat at Little Moreton Hall are the remains of an Elizabethan formal garden. Geophysical work has attempted (1984) to delineate the original plan. The principal monuments are two prospect mounds, the more poorly preserved example of two lies in the vicinity of the hall. The present knot garden is a C20 restoration based on a Jacobean published example.

<2> English Heritage, Various, Scheduled Monument Consent Letter, 25/11/1991 (Written Communication). SCH2963.

The Little Moreton Hall moated complex was scheduled in 1991 and includes the moated island, moat, moat outer bank, and the two prospect mounds (one within the moat and the other lying to the south-west of the moat).

<3> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), Two letters dating 24/02/1992 and 02/02/2010 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

Letters giving scheduled monument consent for proposed works,

<4> Higham N J, 1984-9, Professor Nick Higham's Aerial Photographs, 1988/1/2/11-12 & 1988/1/5/1A (Aerial Photograph). SCH7659.

<6> National Trust, 1992, National Trust: Annual Archaeological Abstracts, 1992, p.73-86 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3874.

During renovation and development works at Little Moreton Hall in 1990-2, a service trench was cut through the north-east corner of the 'outer' prospect mound, to a depth of 1.6m. This revealed a good stratigraphic sequence in an area suspected to contain traces of a greater garden, sealed under silt upcast from the moat. A well buried roughly cobbled roadway, which approached the site from the south-west, was also discovered. It is probable that this is an antecedent to the existing C16th stone bridge located off centre. No garden features were encountered.

<7> Manchester Metropolitan University, 2022, Report: Ground Penetrating Radar and Topographic Survey, Little Moreton Hall, Congleton, R4787 (Client Report). SCH9630.

In 2022, photogrammetric survey was undertaken for both of the prospect mounds in the grounds of Little Moreton Hall. Additionally, ground penetrating radar survey was carried out over the 'inner' prospect mound, together with the lawn area that immediately surrounds it, as there was debate as to whether the mound was simply the result of dredged material from the moat being dumped on the adjacent lawn. The photogrammetric survey produced 3D models and associated digital elevation plans for each of the two prospect mounds demonstrating that they both have a ‘stepped’ character and sub-rectangular form, which is difficult to appreciate at ground level. This indicates that both mounds were of similar design and purpose. Geophysical anomalies down to circa 0.4m below the ground surface indicate some form of revetting material used to retain the stepping of the inner mound and prevent subsidence. Moreover, it is evident that the outer mound has suffered damage that has made it stepped character less apparent on the southern side, despite maintaining a sub-rectangular form and stepped character to the north. A review of the Historic England photograph archive revealed the reason for the damage – an image from the mid-twentieth century shows a large mature tree growing from the southern side of the mound – a tree subsequently removed, damaging the monument.

<8> Allen Archaeological Associates, 2012, New Visitor Services and Cable Trench at Little Moreton Hall, Congleton, Cheshire: Archaeological Watching Brief Report, R3300 (Client Report). SCH6742.

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken between November 2011 and January 2012 at Little Moreton Hall to monitor the excavation of a cable trench to the east of the moated enclosure and also groundworks associated with the extension of the existing ticket office including services and drainage to the south-west. The ticket office extension area and associated drainage revealed a sequence of dumped deposits or levelling layers possibly related to the construction of the adjacent Prospect Mound (that lying to the south-west of the moat) and the cleaning out of the moat surrounding the Hall.