Building record 785/1 - Knight's Grange

Knight's Grange, Grange Lane. Farmhouse, now public house. Mid/late 17th century. Red English garden wall bond with slate roof. The house and adjacent 18th century barn (now sports complex) were originally the property of Vale Royal Abbey (1). This was one of a number of Granges originally belonging to the Abbey of Vale Royal. At this dissolution, it was granted to a member of the Starkie family and afterwards passed to the Cholmondeleys of Vale Royal. The house is said to have been rebuilt in the 17th century (2). First mentioned in 1326 (3). Excn in 1972 failed to reveal structural evidence for the medieval grange & only 1 sherd of medieval pottery was found. Several ditches were found, which were all probably 17th & 18th C garden features associated with the present farmhouse. Finds consisted mainly of 17th-19th C pottery, glass & clay pipe fragments. Finds with School of Arch & Oriental Studies, Liverpool Univ (4).

<1> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /4/97 (Report). SCH1934.

<2> Department for the Environment, Various, Provisional List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /5/6 1948 (Report). SCH2744.

<3> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, 3/172 (Y) (Book). SCH3228.

<3> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, vol .III p.172 (Book). SCH3228.

<4> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, 1/16-18 Laing L R 1973 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.