Monument record 2380/1 - Leftwich Old Hall

Half of (a moiety) the manor was recorded as the property of Osmer, the Saxon lord of 'Sibroc' during the reign of Edward the Confessor. After the Norman conquest the Manor was granted to Richard de Vernon of Shipbrook. The Domesday Book describes Leftwich is as 'Wice' (salt producing town). The mansion was 'a quadrilateral building of timber and plaister, at one corner of which was a square stone tower with machicolated battlements, the original fabric of which appeared to be of considerable antiquity'. This hall has been taken down and its site is occupied by a modern farm house situated on rising ground to the north of the church of Davenham and to the west of the Dane (1).
Leftwich Hall is mentioned in 1724 (2). The farm and associated buildings, labelled Leftwich Old Hall, are shown on the 1st edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch map as a courtyard arrangement of buildings with gardens and orchards to the south and a small lake to the north. A modern chapel is located on the site of the nineteenth century farmhouse (3). Leftwich Old Hall was demolished in the 19th century (4).The original hall was constructed in the 13th century and demolished around 1820 and around 1840 a farm (and associated buildings) was built on the site. It has been assumed that the farm was built on some of the foundations of the original hall. The hall may have faced north, which would be unusual, but not unknown (Tabley Old Hall faces north west). Geophysical anomalies identified during this survey may be associated with the hall (5)

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 3/272 (Book). SCH1389.

<2> Gastrell F, 1845-1850, Notitia Cestriensis, or historical notices of the diocese of Chester, Gastrell F 1845 (Article in Journal). SCH2290.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, 34/14 1875 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

<4> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, 2/206 (Y) (Book). SCH3228.

<4> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, vol .II p.206 (Book). SCH3228.

<5> University of Manchester Archaeological Unit, 2001, Leftwich Hall Geophysical Survey (Client Report). SCH4883.