Monument record 523/2/3 - Ice House at Lymm Hall

<1> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, No.3 p.45-48 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

The ice house in the grounds of Lymm Hall was sited on a mound to the west side of the moat which once partly surrounded the Hall. It had been partly demolished in 1950, the ice pit filled in and the super- structure modified to form a summerhouse, which by now had become completely overgrown. Removal of the ivy and decaying remains of the summerhouse revealed much of the original building to be intact except for the roof and part of the east wall.

The building was basically square and of cavity wall construction. The outer shell was of brick on two courses of large sandstone blocks and with plain ashlar quoins. The inner wall was also of brick with an arched roof. The cavity between these two was filled with earth, which also originally covered the roof giving good insulation for the chamber beneath.

Access to the ice house was through a brick tunnel, 2. 9 metres long on the north side of the chamber. This had an arched roof 1.8 metres high, also covered with earth, and would originally have had a door at each end for insulation. There is evidence from other ice houses of the space between such doors being filled with straw to maintain the low internal temperature. Lack of bonding of the brickwork of this tunnel with that of the main wall suggests that it was not part of the original structure.

In the east wall of the building was a well-constructed doorway, 1.45 metres high and 0.62 metres wide, with sandstone jambs and a rectangular sandstone lintel cut into an arch over the opening. This was an original entrance to the ice house but little evidence was visible from the ice pit due to reconstruction work in 1950, when a fireplace was inserted into the cavity between the walls. This doorway had been neatly blocked on the outside by a double wall of bricks, the removal of which revealed the iron hinge pins and latch of a door and well-worn sandstone sill.

The small size of this doorway and its position facing the moat, suggest that it may only have been used for the loading of ice.

The complete excavation of the ice pit was carried out to determine its method of drainage. Only a few fragments of 19th century pottery were found, and the lowest levels produced three 19th century mineral water bottles. It also contained a large quantity of bones from small mammals, which were found to include the remains of twelve rabbits, two cats, one fox, and one badger. Along with these were two stout iron hinges and sixteen iron bolts, possibly part of the inner door of the entrance tunnel, four iron spikes and a short pronged rake.

Let into the base of the ice pit was a circular sump, 0.7 metres diameter and 0.5 metres deep, in which was found, centrally placed, the wood and metal hub of a large cartwheel. The position of two 0.6 metre iron hinges suggests that a large wooden cover once protected the sump.

A lead pipe near the base of the east wall of the pit seems a possible drainage outlet leading towards the moat. It is likely that the normal surface of the moat was within the level of the upper part of the sump, making it feasible that the ice house water was removed by syphonic action, if the lead pipe once extended to the sump bottom. No alternative drain was found in the base if the sump and during wet weather it held water.

Trial trenches were made, at several locations, adjacent to the perimeter wall to examine the structure of the foundations. These were found to be stepped sandstone footings extending down approximately 1 metre below the present ground level These footings of the outer wall continued across the entrance tunnel which had no flooring.

<2> Laurie I C, 1986, Ice Houses of Cheshire, p.11 (Booklet-Leaflet). SCH3178.

Ice house located in an ornamental garden 25m south-west of the Hall. Nearest water was moat which was waterlogged in the nineteenth century, but is now drained and grassed over. The ice chamber is hidden under floor of a modern summer house, but the tunnel entrance exists on one side of the building. The cube shaped chamber can be seen by lifting the floor boards to the summer house.

<3> Lymm & District Local History Society, Various, Lymm & District Local History Society - Newsletter, Johnson B 1974 78/13 (Newsletter). SCH2040.

<4> Lymm & District Local History Society, Various, Lymm & District Local History Society - Newsletter, Johnson B & Bearpark P J 1975 88/1-3 (Newsletter). SCH2040.

<5> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 23639 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

Ice house located on a mound on the moats' west outer bank and has been partially converted into a summer house. Ice house is a square building of cavity wall construction made of brick on sandstone foundation. Ice pit is over 2m deep and at the bottom it has a sump with a lead pipe for drainage into the moat. Access was through a brick tunnel on the north side of the chamber.