Monument record 595 - Peel Hall, Winwick

<1> Farrer W & Brownbill J, 1906-14, The Victoria County History of the County of Lancaster, Vol 4, p. 167, 1911 (Book). SCH3636.

<2> Baines, Edward, 1868-91, The History of The County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster, Baines E, 1836, Vol 3, p. 630 (Book). SCH1442.

<3> Department for the Environment, Various, Provisional List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 9/2/16, 1962 (Report). SCH2744.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ69SW3, 1955 (Index). SCH2487.

<5> Lewis J, 2000, The Medieval Earthworks of the Hundred of West Derby, p. 248 (Monograph). SCH3778.

Site almost certainly belonged to the Southworth family. William son of Robert de Winwick granted Peel Croft to Gilbert, son of Gilbert de Southworth in the 13th century. Matthew de Southworth held the capital messuage in 1329. In 1430 John and Ellen de Southworth held the manor of Houghton Peel for life, in 1437 manor of Peel was leased to James de Langton rector of Wigan. In 1436 the Stall adjoining Peel was granted by John Houghton to Simon Pierpoint. In 1520 Peel was sold to Thomas Southworth of Southworth. Moat area c.40m x 40m (1600m2) and moat depth c.5-10m with an entrance in the northeast. Traces of the moat can still be seen in the overgrown ditch on the south side of the farmyard. Present buildings seem to date no earlier than 18th century but the listed buildings description states 17th century with alteration in 1828

<6> Lancaster University Archaeological Unit, 2001, Peel Hall, Warrington, Cheshire: Evaluation Report, R2388 (Client Report). SCH4066.

Thirty six evaluation trenches were excavated in 2001 to locate and define the moat of the demolished Peel Hall; the work was undertaken prior to re-development of the site. Three sides of the moat were identified and also a ditch running from the house, suggestive of a holloway. The remains of a post-built structure set into the northern section of the moat was also identified and is thought to be the remains of a bridge. The moat fill was waterlogged and contained quantities of preserved timber, probably relating to the former hall. Dressed sandstone footings, potentially relating to the hall, were also identified within the platform of the moat. A series of deep ditches were recorded in the north-east part of the site; the upper fills of several of these contained later post medieval pottery, whilst the lower fills contained pottery of early post medieval date. A notable amount of pottery found in the moat fills was mid-seventeenth century in date indicating a potential re-cutting/cleaning of the moat in the period of the Civil War. An increase in deposition in this period has been noted in other nearby moated sites, such as Old Abbey Farm and Bewsey Old Hall. Palaeo-environmental sampling was also undertaken.

Three manors, Houghton, Middleton and Arbury, were granted by Robert de Winwick to the Southworth family in the thirteenth century. Houghton (formerly Houghton Peel) corresponds to the moated site of Peel Hall. A building within the moat is depicted on the Tithe Map of 1840; it had a U-shaped outline and was in the centre of a sub-rectangular moat with surviving western, northern and southern sides. Extending eastwards from the site was a road across a causeway over the moat in the direction of Peel Farm. By the time of the OS First Edition Map, the area of the moat is represented as an area of woodland.

<7> Nexus Heritage, 2015, Environmental Statement - Peel Hall, Warrington: Chapter 10, Cultural Heritage and Archaeology, R3995 (Client Report). SCH8213.