Monument record 699/1/1 - Medieval Watermill in Hartford

<1> Bott O J P, 1983, Cornmill sites in Cheshire 1066-1850 Part 2, 11/58 Bott O J P 1983 (Article in Journal). SCH6105.

Watermill site at Hartford; the location is not identified (see 2 & 3).

<2> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.II p.198 (Book). SCH1389.

Ormerod reports that the Plea Rolls make mention of a 'water mill, in Hartford' c.1315-6.

<3> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, Vol.III p.189 (Book). SCH3228.

A documentary source makes reference to 'le Mulnefeld' in 1353. There are also references to 'le Wynmulefeld' of a similar date.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6472, 1898 (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

This map depicts a pool at this location. The eastern side of the pond has a regular straight edge and the map also depicts a sluice at this location, suggesting a dam.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6472, 1909-1910 (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

This map depicts a pool at this location. The eastern side of the pond has a regular straight edge and the map also depicts a sluice at this location, suggesting a dam.

<6> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, Composite 1m DTM (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

A linear earthwork aligned north-east to south-west across the base of the valley. The earthwork has a fifteen metre gap.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6472, 1877 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

The pool is not depicted on this map.

<8> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 20/05/2019 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The earthwork depicted on the LIDAR survey (see 6) corresponds with the location of the probable dam inferred by the shape of the pond and the sluice depicted on historic maps (see 4 & 5). This evidence suggests that this may be a mill pond and dam, and the site of the Hartford mill mentioned in documentary sources. However, the pond is not depicted on the earlier Ordnance Survey map (see 7) and the earthwork corresponds with a pipeline depicted on the modern Ordnance Survey map (see 9).

<9> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Land Line and Master Map Vector Maps, 20/05/2019 (Maps and Plans). SCH4491.