Monument record 837/1/2 - The Chamber in the Forest (Merricks Hill)

Eddisbury is essentially comprised of three areas; the main body of the hillfort including an entrance on the eastern line of the rampart, the north-western end adjacent to Old Pale Farm including a second entrance, and Merrick’s Hill to the south-east (or the Chamber in the Forest) where medieval reoccupation included a royal hunting lodge. Eddisbury was first included on the Schedule in 1934.

There have been several surveys of Eddisbury beginning with the Ordnance Survey in the 19th century and later by Forde-Johnston in 1960 (4), Ferguson in 1977 (5), Longley in 1979 (6) and the RCHME in 1987 (7, 8).

In 2009 a new project to study the hillforts of Cheshire included a re-excavation of Eddisbury. The work was carried out in two phases between 2010 and 2011 and included 15 trenches across Merrick’s Hill and the main enclosure by volunteers under the guidance of the Habitats and Hillforts Project leader and Earthworks Archaeology (9) as well as a further five trenches at Merrick’s Hill by the University of Liverpool (10). The results provided more detailed phasing of activity at Eddisbury based on stratigraphic analysis as well as scientific dating including radiocarbon, archaeomagnetic and Optical Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating techniques.

The evidence suggested three phases of activity prior to the construction of the hillfort. Phase 1 comprised a possible pit and hearth dated to c.1870 BC (CHER 866/1/1). This was followed in around 770 BC by a palisade enclosure (CHER 866/1/2). Other pre-hillfort evidence included traces of at least one stone circular feature tentatively interpreted as either a hut or cairn. Phases 4 to 8 were identified as the period of occupation for the Iron Age hillfort (CHER 866/1/3), dated to between 410 BC and AD 130 and was followed by the ultimate abandonment of the hillfort in the transition between the Iron Age and the Roman period (Phase 9).

Phase 10 dates to around the mid 3rd to mid 4th century AD and appears to be Romano-British occupation of the interior (CHER 868/1) before the site was left again until the late 9th to 10th century (CHER 868/2) when Eddisbury was fortified as a burh site (Phase 11). The medieval period saw the eastern end of the hillfort reoccupied as the royal hunting lodge the ‘Chamber in the Forest’ (Phase 12) (CHER 837/1/2).

Although there is a significant amount of documentary evidence for the medieval Chamber in the Forest, the substantial structural remains recorded by Varley in the 1930s and attributed to the medieval period have recently been re-evaluated in light of recent investigations of the site and the original archives from Varley’s excavations by the University of Liverpool. This work suggests that much of the evidence was later, dating to between the 16th and 18th century.

Excavation of collapsed features on Merricks bank as part of geological investigations in 2003 uncovered a set of stone steps (11a, 11b) that appear to be from the medieval phase buildings.

In April 1337, Edward, Prince of Wales, directed Richard Donne, Forester, to build a chamber in the Forest of La Mare, 40ft long and 20ft broad and 2 storeys high, for the convenience of the foresters (12). This was the hunting lodge of the Dones, the Chamber in the Forest. Since c.1550, there were two buildings (13). In 1652, the group of buildings are referred to as the Old Pale Lodge, Eddisbury Lodge or the Chamber in the Forest. Occupation of the buildings continued with additions & repairs until the Forest of Delamere was enclosed by an Act of 52 George III, which received the royal assent in 1812 (13). In 1961, sandstone foundations of 3 buildings situated at SJ 5544 6922 were surveyed by the OS. In 1964, the 14th century culvert, 15m long, was located & surveyed by the Ordnance Survey (4). In 1337 Edward the Black Prince authorised the construction on a new chamber, which was built c 1354. It lay 'upon the hill' (ie within the hillfort) according to a document of 1652. The precise location of the chamber seems to have been lost by the mid 17th century, but the area continued to be known as The Chamber in the Forest until the mid-19th C. The area has also been known as Merrick's Hill since the late 17th century, after Thomas Merrick of Eddisbury, who died before 1683 (14).

<1> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment) (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<2> Varley W J, 1950, Excavations at the Castle Ditch, Eddisbury, 1935-1938, 102/1-68 Varley W J 1950 (Article in Journal). SCH7299.

<3> Varley W J, 1937, Eddisbury and the Castle Ditch (Newsletter). SCH7296.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ56NE2/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<5> Forde-Johnston J, 1962, The Iron Age Hillforts of Lancashire and Cheshire (Article in Journal). SCH6913.

<6> Ferguson, A, 1977, Field survey of Eddisbury hillfort (Unpublished Report). SCH7297.

<7> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME), 1987, Castle Ditch hillfort, Eddisbury, Cheshire, reconsidered: The excavations of 1935-38 in the light of recent field survey (Monograph). SCH7298.

<8> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME), 1987, Castle Ditch (Eddisbury) hillfort, Archaeological Survey Report, R3560 (Client Report). SCH7305.

<9> Cheshire West and Chester Historic Environment Service, 2012, Report on an archaeological evaluation at Eddisbury Hillfort (DRAFT), R3556 (Unpublished Report). SCH7285.

<10> Mason, R, 2011, Excavations at Merrick's Hill, Eddisbury Hillfort 2011 (Unpublished Report). SCH7327.

<11a> John Edwards, 2003, Reports on Findings of collapse feature no.1 on Merrick's Bank, Eddisbury Hill, (Unpublished Report). SCH5223.

<11b> John Edwards, 2003, Reports on Findings of collapse feature no.2 on Merrick's Bank, Eddisbury Hill, (Unpublished Report). SCH5224.

<11> Mason, R, 2011, Excavations at Merrick's Hill, Eddisbury Hillfort 2011 (Unpublished Report). SCH7327.

<12> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 20/1-28 Hamson W 1902 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<13b> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, 3/213 (Y) (Book). SCH3228.

<13a> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, vol .III p.213 (Book). SCH3228.

<14> English Heritage, 2000, An archaeological assessment of Old Pale Farm, Delamere, Cheshire (Client Report). SCH4358.