Monument record 2589 - Danes Moss

<1> Leah, MD; Wells, CE; Appleby, C; Huckerby, E, 1997, The Wetlands of Cheshire (North West Wetlands Survey 4), p.63-80 (Monograph). SCH3260.

Danes Moss was investigated by the North West Wetlands project, an archaeological and paleoecological study of the varied wetlands of Cheshire, undertaken between 1993-95. It is one of a series of wetlands in eastern Cheshire in an area extending from Wilmslow in the north to Macclesfield in the east and Sandbach and Congleton in the south. Within this region a variety of wetland types are present from small basin mires west of Macclesfield to large mosses such as Danes Moss and Lindow Moss (CHER1472/0/0).

Danes Moss, a large peat bog to the south of Macclesfield, occupies a shallow river basin on the watershed between the River Bollin and Cow Brook. The morphological characteristics of the moss correspond to that of a raised mire; a surprising rare example in the north-west. The origins of the mire may have begun in a late-Glacial lake, however, it is more probable that it began forming as a reedswamp fringed by fen-carr (circa 6000 BC), which then developed into a widespread alder and willow dominated carr system as the wet shallow basin terrestrialied.

Relict peats at Danes Moss cover an area of c.70ha, reduced from the original expanse of 210ha. Much of the northern part of the moss, some 50 ha, has been destroyed by a landfill development, although to the north of the landfill site, peat deposits extend as far as the suburbs of Macclesfield. Elsewhere, the stratigraphy has been truncated due to peat cutting from at least the thirteenth century onwards and culminating in large-scale commercial harvesting which ceased only in 1965. Despite the history of disturbance, a few areas of possible 'topmoss' still survive on the eastern fringe of the peatland.

As with Lindow Moss, Danes Moss was first investigated palaeoecologically by H J Birks in 1962. A north-south stratigraphic transect across the mire produced a pollen diagram from the deepest peats (some over 5m and, generally, between 3-4m) indicating that the moss possessed an environmental archive spanning the late Flandrian I (circa 6000BC) to, potentially, the mid Flandrian III (circa 1000 BC). This work is valuable as it is the only detailed record from the northern part of the moss which has since been destroyed. It also provides the only palynological record of a complete profile from the site. Survey work undertaken by the North West Wetlands Project included a series of 25 cores to investigate the stratigraphy of the area of relict peats to the south of the landfill site. The data confirm that the deepest peats reach 6.3m, although most fall between 3-4m.

There is strong evidence throughout the site's palaeoecological record of fire disturbance which is possibly associated with limited local clearence activity.

<2> Sainter J D, 1878, Scientific Rambles Round Macclesfield, p.119 (Book). SCH2964.

Sainter records numerous finds from the moss, including swords, muskets, bridlebits, stirrups, iron spear heads and an 'ancient bow', some of which are relatively recent. Also found were human and animal bones, and ancient coins.

<3> WYG, 2014, Land at Congleton Road, Macclesfield: Archaeology and Heritage Desk-Based Assessment., R3642 (Client Report). SCH7653.