Monument record 190/1 - Reaseheath Moat

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, Waggott T 1964 SJ65SE15 (Index). SCH2487.

Three arms of a well preserved homestead moat survive immediately north of the drive to Reaseheath College (which has destroyed the southern arm).

<2> Various, Aerial photographs, /4358 RAF 1947 (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

1947 vertical aerial photograph indicates two minor enclosures against the western arm and fields of reverse S ridge and furrow either side of a hollow way to west and south.

<3> McNeil R, 1979, Plan of Reaseheath Moat (Book). SCH2662.

Detailed contour and hachure survey carried out in 1979. Site under grass.

<4> Gifford and Partners, 1992, Report on an Archaeological Evaluation at Reaseheath Moat, Nantwich., R2029 (Client Report). SCH4159.

Archaeological evaluation undertaken in 1992 at a site at Reaseheath College of Agriculture in advance of development. The area of development was immediately to the west of Reaseheath Moat. The evaluation comprised desk-based research, surface inspection, field survey (1:500, including the area of the moat) and trial trenching. Six trial trenches were excavated in the proposed development area but no deposits of archaeological significance were encountered.

<5> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 13493 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

The site includes an island surrounded on three sides by a dry moat with annexes to the north and east. The grassy island measures c.55m x 43m and is surrounded on all sides except the south by a shallow dry moat 10-20m wide x 0.8m maximum depth. Immediately north of the moat is a grassy annexe c.42m x 19m flanked on its side by a hollow way up to 20m wide x 1.2m deep. Immediately east of the moat is a second larger, grassy annexe, measuring some 90m x 60m. Flanking this annexe is a ditch up to 15m wide x 0.5m deep that is largely dry. All fences are excluded from the scheduling but the ground beneath them is included.

<6> National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, 2005, Reaseheath Moated Site; Monitoring of a Small Ground Disturbance, R2582 (Client Report). SCH4712.

Trial trenching and topographical survey revealed features probably associated with the moat adjacent on the north west side of the moat.

<7> A B Heritage, 2016, Geophysical Survey on Land at Reaseheath College, Nantwich (Client Report). SCH8206.

Geophysical survey of a proposed tractor route accross a scheduled moated site in 2016 identified anomaly believed to be of archaeologcial significance relating to the moated site.

<8> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2016, An Archaeological evaluation for a Proposed New Tractor Route at Reaseheath College, Nantwich (Client Report). SCH8207.

The results of the 2016 archaeological evaluation demonstrated that the infilled ditches to the moat and associated annex survive below ground level. Features indentified from the geophysical survey were a ditch feature forming the western arm to the annexe of the moated site ad the west arm of the ditch of the prioncipal moated enclosure. The tractor access route will be locationed along the west side of the scheduled site.