Monument record 932/1/1 - Middleton Grange

Site of the moated Middleton Hall & Chapel.Ormerod notes that in Aston was a parcel of land called Middleton Grange.He suggests this is the Mid-Eston referred to in Domesday, which belonged to St Werburgh's Church in Chester.This was confirmed to Norton Priory by John Lacy, Earl of Lincoln & Halton c.1236 (1).The earliest chapel for Aston was situated at Middleton Grange, where the the priest was provided by Norton Priory.The adjoining fields are called The Chapel Hey & Little Chapel Hey.Later Middleton chapel fell into decay & was replaced by the chapel at Aston (RN: 933/1/1) (2). In 1920, excavations in the moat revealed stone blocks in the inner & outer banks, some in the shape of octagonal pillars.They probably formed the base for a timber bridge.After the decay of the grange the chapel may have continued in use & stone from the grange was may have been reused to repair the bridge (3).Detailed survey at 1:200 undertaken by H. Talbot(5) The moat is rectangular, well preserved & now dry. The SW quarter is cut off by an internal ditch thus forming an independent moated area, which is apparently coeval with the main moat.Two roughly square stones were seen in the main moat at SJ 55607705. No trace of buildings, bridge or causeway (4). Detailed plan at 1:500 drawn in 1985 (6). To the south of the southern side of the moat is a raised bank above the stream valley, which must be part of the site (7). Site consists of a monastic moated grange together with 8 fishponds & connecting channels.(Scheduled as 4 sep areas.) Island measures 64m x 54m & is surr by dry moat up to 12m wide and 2.5m deep. S arm is flanked by outer bank 8m wide & 1m high.SW quadrant of island is separated from remainder by dry ditch 8m x 2.5m. 8 fishponds, in 3 separate groups, are situated in The Coppice to the E. For full description of fishponds see 932/1/2 (8).

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 1/720 (Book). SCH1389.

<2> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 102/115-135 Richards R 1950 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<3> Chester Courant, 1878-1990, The Cheshire Sheaf, 17/60-61 JHEB 1920 (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH3105.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ57NE6 1976 (Index). SCH2487.

<5> Talbot H, 1985, Plan of Aston Moat (Book). SCH2653.

<6> Talbot H & Davies E, 1985, Field Survey of Middleton Grange (Maps and Plans). SCH1238.

<7> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Turner R C 1984 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

<8> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), 13515 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<8> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 13515 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.