Monument record 563/1/1 - Bewsey Old Hall moated site and fishpond

Bewsey Old Hall. A medieval grange, then the manor of the de Boteler Family, then a post medieval mansion house/hall.1845-bronze box found while cleaning out moat, prob med. Also stag horn spoon handles found (1) & (2).

1977-79-Documentary and archaeological research and building survey revealed following history. 1251-parcel of land between Mersey and Ribble given to Tilty Abbey in Essex, who est. a grange at 'Beausee'. Earliest structure was a series of postholes 8m x 5.5m-may represent aisled hall of grange. 1264-land owned by William le Boteler who moved his castle at Mote Hill and made Bewsey his family seat. Two rubble walls and sandstone fireplace are the remains of his first great hall. Also sunken stone chamber which was possibly a vaulted store room. Finds of med jugs, pitchers, cooking pots,floor & roof tiles, pottery fire cover & leather shoe(3).

1983-5-section across moat revealed med stone bridge aligned with main entrance to hall. Earlier & shallower arm of the moat was discovered along the S section of platform, sealed beneath clay from a re-cutting of the present moat. On SW corner of platform was a large med pit 2.5m deep x 25m long with leather shoes & wood. Above pit was a 16th century kitchen midden with animal bone and pottery. Med pit was cut by another pit with stakes & planks poss indicating 17th c garderobe (4 & 6).

1977-79 - In 14th century the house was extended. The medieval walls continued S with ashlar faced foundations, suggesting an extension of main structure south, with a possible rebuilding of part of the original hall. An inventory of 1579 mentions a hall, parlour, kitchen, buttery, dairy, brew house, sieving house and cheese chamber. Mention of the horses suggests stables nearby. 1586 - Death of Edward Boteler without issue and end of Boteler era. House passed to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leycester. 1597 - estate sold to Richard Bold & Thomas Ireland for 16,000 pounds. House extended & 2nd floor created, exisiting walls thickened and new fireplaces installed. Finds of cistercian ware drinking vessels, clay pipes, medieval to modern window glass and lead objects including bronze seal with rabbit motif.
(3)

1645 house passed to Atherton family. Large portion of Tudor building burnt down in 1740's. Evidence of charcoal, ash and melted lead. Replaced by Georgian wing of 2 storeys, linked to the old house by a 2 storey block set back from the main façade. Wing demolished in 1849, leaving only foundation trenches filled with crushed brick. Only parts to remain were a chapel - a detached building on the S. side of the main house, demolished 1960 and a new cellar/ ice room (still exists) & a farmhouse. Victorian period house extended 1m to the N & area occupied by earlier buildings laid out as a garden. Also finds of mesolithic flint tools & 4 frags of roman pottery (3) E of hall large pit 2m x 4m with 6 large oak timbers ion bottom and acorns, Probably used for tanning (4)

The island measuring c100m x 70m is partially occupied by Bewsey Old Hall & farmhouse, an outbuilding, a stone-lined well and an open area of partial arch excav. The remainder is largely occupied by a formal garden of the Stuart period that extended over much of the E half. Moat is up to 20m in width and 5m in depth & is waterlogged for much of its length. Partial infilling on N & E arms. Access is via a causeway across W arm with subsid causeway at SE corner. Boggy channel c25m long x 4m connects S arm with a fishpond measuring c40m x 20m x5m deep. Site has a well documented history and excavations have shown site has considerable potential.(16)

Buildings recorded in 1579 included a hall, parlour, Sir Thomas' chamber and three other chambers, a kitchen, buttery, deyhouse, brewhouse, yeylyng house, bolting house, cheese chamber, porter's lodge. A survey of Bewsey made for the Earl of Leicester in 1587 noted the 'Fayre mote over which is a strong drawe bridge'. Part of the house was in decay although 3 chambers and a parlour were in good repair. The chapel which may have been free standing was much decayed. Reconstruction including a new two-storey brick house in the kitchen area, probably followed completion of sale to Thomas ireland in 1596. Sir Gilbert Irelands inventory in the late 17th century tells of 18 rooms. In addition to the domestic quarters were the Hall, Kings Chamber, Great Chamber in the Roofs, Gardens Chamber, John Hodgsons Chamber, Corner Chamber, Red Chamber, Mr George's Chamber and Grooms Chamber. Extensive rebuilding occurred as Bewsey passed from the Ireland family to the Athertons of Atherton (1675) and their successors. The water filled moat now survives only on the west, north and south sides of the platform. The east arm is infilled and overgrown. The fishpond reduced from its late 16th century size is linked by a leet to the moat. Archaeological excavation of the moat was undertaken 1977-85. The absence of plant remains show that the moat was kept clean. Possibly this was part of an earlier moat which on the evidence of timbers found at the bottom of the fill, had been filled in at the end of the 16th century. The site of the 16th century drawbridge is yet to be located. (17).

University of Manchester Archaeological Unit, 2002, Bewsey Old Hall, Warrington. An Archaeological Desk-Based Assesment, R2473 (Client Report). SCH4472.

Matrix Archaeology, 2004, Bewsey Old Hall, Warrington, Cheshire; Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Client Report). SCH4728.

<1> Cheshire County Council, 1974, County Treasures Record, 1/AR.061 (Index). SCH1000.

<2> Grealey S, 1976, The Archaeology of Warrington's Past, /78 No.1 (Book). SCH3046.

<3> Warrington Development Corporation, 1980, Bewsey Old Hall - Research Report 1980 (Monograph). SCH398.

<4> Post Medieval Archaeology, Cherry J 1979 13/276 (Journal/Periodical). SCH2670.

<5> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, 10/83 Smart R 1984 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

<6> Post Medieval Archaeology, Egan G 1985 19/170-171 (Journal/Periodical). SCH2670.

<7> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /3/2 (Report). SCH1934.

<8> Farrer W & Brownbill J, 1906-14, The Victoria County History of the County of Lancaster, 3/326-327 1907 (Book). SCH3636.

<9> Farrer W & Brownbill J, 1906-14, The Victoria County History of the County of Lancaster, 2/549 1908 (Book). SCH3636.

<10> Royal Archaeological Institute, 1845-Present, Archaeological Journal, 18/158-159 1861 (Journal/Periodical). SCH338.

<11> Post Medieval Archaeology, 1979 13/276 (Journal/Periodical). SCH2670.

<12> Harrison W, 1896, An Archaeological Survey of Lancashire, /24 (Book). SCH241.

<13> Cartlidge, Rev. J.E. Gordon, 1971, Warrington & the Mid-Mersey Valley, /12+20-21 (Book). SCH3668.

<14> Warrington Development Corporation, 1978, Bewsey Old Hall - a research report (Book). SCH397.

<16> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), 13488 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<16> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 13488 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<17> Lewis J, 2000, The Medieval Earthworks of the Hundred of West Derby (Monograph). SCH3778.