Monument record 2060/1/2 - Icehouse at site of Poynton Hall, 170m north of Towers Yard Farm

<1> Crowe C, 1990, Poynton Ice House (Report). SCH2681.

Ice house is located circa 125m east of Towers Road at the corner of lake adjacent to Towers Yard Farm buildings. It was probably constructed for the first hall and so dated before 1758. A map of Poynton Park dated 1793 by George Nuttall shows the site of the ice house as a clump of trees. It continued in use until circa 1900. There is an angled entrance passage into ice chamber. First chamber has stone benches on either side of entrance, circa 1m long, 2 alcoves in side walls and a stone trough set in floor. Walls, roof and floor of evenly dressed local hard sandstone. This chamber leads to a passage at a slight angle which in turn leads to the ice chamber. The walls of first chamber are butted onto wall of passage, which implies they are not contemporary. Passage is circa 4m long, barrel-vaulted with a double skin of brick and stone flagged floor. Four stone steps lead up to a door and into the ice chamber, which is spinning top shape, with walls of brick, double-skinned with aperture at top and square, wood-framed drain with ceramic pipe at bottom. Chamber is circa 5m wide x 3m high.

<2> Cheshire County Council, 1992-1995, Cheshire Past, Issue 1, p. 24, Cheshire County Council 1991 (Newsletter). SCH870.

Icehouse at Poynton Hall surveyed by C.Crowe (source 1) after being cleared by members of Poynton Local History Society. The chamber is shallower than the classic pattern and comprises a dome of local brick with a hatch at the top and side-entrance vaulted into the dome. The shallow depth of chamber may be due to the drainage problems of the site. A stone-built antechamber with benches and carved basin is possibly where meat was prepared prior to placing in the chamber. Stonework appears to be of 17th century date and is probably contemporary with Poynton Old Hall. The brick chamber is proably 18th century in date.

<3> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), 30385 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<4> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 30385 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

Much of ice house is below ground, but a mound 1.5m high has been raised over the whole icehouse. Lake immediately to south was not the original source for ice since it wsa dammed in the 19th C, probably to provide water for coal processing at Towers Yard Farm. Ice was probably cut from 2 lakes 200m to the east of the icehouse. This is a good example of an icehouse with a food preparation area. The shape of the domed chamber is unusual. The interior fittings are also unusual and the preservation of the individual features is good.

<5> Historic England, 2011, The National Heritage List for England, 1018819 (Web Site). SCH6528.

The monument includes an icehouse in the grounds of the now demolished Poynton Hall. The original hall was built by the Warren family at some time in the 16th century and improved in the 17th century. The icehouse, which is listed Grade II, is thought to date from the time of these improvements to the older hall. In 1758 the hall was rebuilt, but the replacement has also now been demolished. The icehouse has two chambers, a food preparation area and an ice chamber. The entrance, which is on the north side, is formed by a narrowing of the vaulted stone-built preparation room and is below ground level. An entrance well, with steps down, provides access. This leads to the food preparation chamber, which is 2m wide and 4m long. Stone benches line the first 1m of this chamber. There is a stone trough below a water inlet on the west wall and a stone lined drain in the centre of the floor. From this room an angled passage 1.5m wide leads 4.5m upwards to four stone steps and a narrow opening to the ice chamber. This is a circular domed construction, built of brick, double skinned and has a wood-lined drain in the floor with a stone built aperture in the centre of the roof. The chamber is 5.5m wide at its widest point and 3m deep. Metal fittings for a wooden door are still attached to the entrance to this chamber. Much of this construction is below ground level but a mound 1.5m high has been raised over the the whole icehouse. The lake immediately to the south of the icehouse was not the original source for the ice since it was dammed in the 19th century, probably to provide water for coal processing at Towers Yard Farm. Ice was probably cut from the two lakes 200m to the east of the icehouse. The modern steel gate across the entrance is excluded from the scheduling, although the surrounding stonework and the ground beneath is included.