Monument record 2269 - Ice House 110m southwest of Burton Manor College main building.

Ice House 100m SW of Burton House . Entry is by a flight of narrow red sandstone steps between walls. Two rectangular chambers. Larger chamber has shallow stone well in centre.Exit through arch at the far end of second smaller chamber. Remains of gas light fitting on roof. Nearest pond 150m to the South. Public access (1).

Icehouse with an attached food preparation chamber. Forner hall was bult in years after 1805 by Congreve family anf ice house was built in this period. Approached by 2 sets of stairs leading into entrance passage on south side. Second entrance on north side leading directly into ice chamber. South chamber is 5m longx 3.5m wide x 1.3m high and is rock cut with a stone vaulted roof. Stone lined drainage channel in floor, probably used for preparation of food stuffs. Short passage leads into ice chamber 5m long x 3m wide x 3.5m high, rock cut and stone vaulted roof. Stone lined well in centre. Gas light fitting in roof. Ice probably brought from mere 180m to the south. Also records of ice being brought from docks at Liverpool. An important example of a late rock cut ice house with all original features intact except doors. Gas lighting is a rare feature and food preparation areas are unusual (2).

Comprises two interconnecting passages with an access at each end. The ice house is entirely underground and excavated from the Red Bunter Sandstone, with a vaulted sandstone roof. The south facing entrance is reached by s flight of eleven steps which lead into an entrance passage 1.8m x 1.25m x 2m. This opens out into a rectangular chamber with rock sides, 5m x 3.5m x 1.3m. The floor slopes gently towards the centre, into which is cut a shallow drainage gully. In the end wall is an obliquely angled straight passage leading to the other chamber. This passage is 5.4m x 0.8m x 2.25m. The northern chamber is about the same length as the southern one, but a bit narrower and a meter higher. The chamber contains a ventilation shaft and the remains of a gas light fitting. A narrow edging surrounds a drain or well near the centre of the floor. Centred in the back wall is a further passage 2.1m x 0.75m x 3.25m, which leads out of the chamber and up a flight of twenty steps. The ice was thought to have been brought from a lake 180m away and then from Liverpool Docks (3).

<1> Laurie I C, 1986, Ice Houses of Cheshire, /9 (Booklet-Leaflet). SCH3178.

<2> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), English Heritage 2000 SAM 30384 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<2> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), English Heritage 2000 SAM 30384 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<3> Oxford Archaeology, 1995, English Heritage MPP Step 3 Report Site Evaluations for Ice Houses, OAU August 1995 (Unpublished Report). SCH3774.