Monument record 568/1 - Barrow Old Hall Moated Site, Great Sankey

<1> Warrington Guardian, Warrington Guardian, 13/06/1986 (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH3683.

Barrow Old Hall was originally a timber-framed house surrounded by a moat. It was one of six moated sites in the medieval township of Bold. The earliest dated reference to an estate at Barrow is from 1330. Its medieval associations with the principal manor of Bold Old Hall and its position on the edge of the township suggest that its development as a moated site may have occurred late in the medieval period.

<2> Grealey S, 1976, The Archaeology of Warrington's Past, p.71 (Book). SCH3046.

The hall reputedly has its origins in the 14th century but was completely rebuilt on at least one occasion, and towards the close of the 19th century was extensively modified for conversion into a country cottage. Little is visible at the site as the moat is infilled to the point where it is barely visible and the cottage has been demolished.

<3> Waite J A, 1896, Lesser Halls and Manor Houses of Lancashire, p.185-186 (Article in Journal). SCH7980.

The hall is one of the very few perfectly moated houses in Lancashire. The hall, now converted to a country cottage, has never been extensive due the limited size of the moat platform. It is approached by a one arched bridge. It comprises a timber frame work constructed of timbers 7½ inches wide, braced together by plain cross pieces and infilled with brickwork. Timber framing is set on a stone sill. The house has undergone a great deal of alteration and rebuilding. The surviving original parts are limited to an end of the building 8 feet 6 inches wide which contains the sitting room, with a room above in the gable of the roof and a small wing 11 feet x 10 feet 6 inches open to the roof. Two brick chimneys may also be original.

<4> Archaeological Survey of Merseyside, 1980, Archaeological Survey of Merseyside - Site Visit Form, 56891 August 1980 (Unpublished Document). SCH361.

The moat lies within the grounds of a recently built school. The hall has been demolished and the moat platform is waste ground. The western and southern arms of the moat ditch and the causeway are extant. The eastern arm is partially infilled. The stream defines the township boundary and which runs parallel to the moat ditch, but not through it, is in a narrow steep sided gully.

<5> Merseyside Archaeological Survey, 1981, Copy of Survey Drawing - Merseyside Archaeological Survey (Graphic Material). SCH2652.

Three arms of the moat survive as visible earthworks; the eastern, western and southern arms. The keystone of the bridge over the western arm is inscribed 1812.

<6> Warrington Guardian, Warrington Guardian, undated (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH3683.

The Bold family were the local lords of the manor from the 1100s. A manor house stood on the site from the 14th century until 1924 when the last hall was demolished. Following an archaeological investigations in 1986-87 and a further ‘archaeological dig’ the moat and the bridge were restored, the main area levelled and grassed.

<7> Farrer W & Brownbill J, 1906-14, The Victoria County History of the County of Lancaster, Vol.2 p.548 (Book). SCH3636.

Hall described in 1908 as a fine Tudor edifice.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ 58 NE 2 (Index). SCH2487.

A 25" A.M (ancient monument?) survey has been made (copy attached).

<9> Lewis, Jen, 1995, Barrow Old Hall, Cheshire (Report). SCH3806.

One of six moated sites in Bold. It lies on the township boundary between Bold and Great Sankey. Barrow is first mentioned in 1330 when Alan de Barrow was given a messuage there. In 1466 Barrow Hall Lane and Barrow Acre appear in a survey of Great Sankey. Early 17th century inventories record the existence of a hall, parlour and larder and the three heaths recorded for the Hearth Tax in 1662-6 suggest a small domestic dwelling. The Tithe map for Bold shows a water filled moat surrounding a rectangular platform. On this stood a rectangular building, with two wings on the eastern side. Barrow was sold in 1859 as ‘An ancient moated mansion, containing many excellent rooms … surrounded by agreeable and productive grounds and gardens, with stables and outbuildings attached …’. Following its demolition in the 1920s the hall was replaced by a cottage which stood until 1968.

The moat platform is c.1710m2 in area and is surrounded on three sides by a water filled moat c.12m wide. The northern arm of the moat has been infilled and the western arm is spanned by a bridge dated 1812. A short channel connects the eastern arm of the moat with a tributary of the Whittle Brook. This may have utilised a sluice to control water levels in the moat.

The excavation investigated part of the infilled northern arm and a small part of the platform. On platform were five post holes and features interpreted as beam slots. The clay fills of some of the post holes suggest deliberate infilling. The subsequent stratigraphic sequence suggests that the building may have been repeatedly altered, whilst following the original layout/design of the building. At the northern end of the trench these features were overlain by a deposit interpreted as a levelling layer. This layer may have contained brick. The occurrence of brick early in the stratigraphic sequence suggested that this took place no earlier than the end of the 16th century, when brick was first used in the high status houses of South Lancashire. These features were interpreted as evidence of the corner of a late medieval timber framed building. The most distinctive features belonged to a later phase of rebuilding and included a clay floor and a sandstone wall. Respecting the alignment of these features were a series of gullies and drains. Infilled with brick or ceramic pipes they were probably contemporaneous with the building modifications. Ceramic finds suggested that the sandstone wall and clay floor date from the 17th century. Apart from a late medieval tile fragment, all the pottery recovered from the excavation was 16th century or later in date. Similarities with in the assemblage of post medieval pottery with those from Bewsey Old Hall suggest occupation by a reasonably well to do family.

Of the moat 60m2 of the northern arm was investigated. The sides of the ditch were established but it was not bottomed. Evidence of linear slots at the top of moat’s bank may have been associated with a sluice arrangement or a 'necessary house' – similar buildings on the edge of the moat have been identified at Bewsey Old Hall. The southern side of the moat ditch contained a tip of brick and sandstone rubble which may have acted as a revetment. The northern side may have been revetted with slabs of yellow sandstone. Primary layers of tipping contained pottery dating from the eighteenth century.

No evidence of features in the ditch, located between the eastern arm of the moat and the brook, to control the flow of water.

<10> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), 13434 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

A moated site: the island of which was formerly occupied by Barrow Old Hall. The hall was completely rebuilt on at least one occasion and towards the end of the 19th century was converted into a country cottage. Limited excavation in 1986-7 revealed the remains of a 17th century building and evidence for earlier structures.

<11> University of Manchester Archaeological Unit, 1995, Barrow Old Hall, Geat Sankey: An Archaeological Watching Brief, R2078 (Client Report). SCH4121.

In 1995 an archaeological watching brief was undertaken on an area immediately to the north of Barrow Old Hall during groundworks for a housing development. No archaeological features dating prior to the nineteenth century were positively identified. Pottery stray finds, coupled with the evidence for ploughing and land drains, indicates that this area has been farmland since at least the seventeenth century.

<12> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 1995, An Archaeological Watching Brief at Barrow Old Hall, Great Sankey, Warrington., R2081 (Client Report). SCH4119.

In 1995 a small test slot was cut through the moat during a watching brief conducted during a programme of landscape enhancement. The test slot recorded accumulated silts and concluded that the moat had been cleaned out during the 19th century. No other archaeological features were recorded.

<14> Lewis J, 2000, The Medieval Earthworks of the Hundred of West Derby, p.196 (Monograph). SCH3778.

The Barrow in Bold was named in 1330 when Henry son of Alan de Barrow was given a messuage there by an unknown grantor. Barowhowse was noted in lands of Great Sankey belonging to Peter Legh in 1466. The house had an upper room and there were 2 barns, an apple orchard and a garden all occupied by Robert Furthe and his heirs. The holding extended from Le Wodelane on the south to Cumballwode in the north. The inventory of Henry Bold's possessions at Barrow Hall names a hall and a larder (1604-5). The inventory of Sir Thomas Bold’s possessions at Barrow Hall list only a parlour (1612). Between 1662 and 1666 the hall was taxed for 3 hearths under the Heath Tax. When the Bold estates were sold in 1859 Barrow was described as an ancient moated mansion, containing many excellent rooms surrounded by agreeable and productive gardens and grounds with stables and outbuildings attached. At the end of the 19th century the hall was described as a timber framed building approached by a one arched bridge. By then the building was in a poor state of repair. The house was demolished in the late 1920s.

<15> Chester Archaeology, 1993, Barrow Old Hall, Great Sankey, Warrington; Archaeological Evaluation., R2038 (Client Report). SCH4152.

A trial trench of 8.5m was dug in the car park of Great Sankey High School was carried out ahead of an extension to the school. No archaeological finds were made, all pre-modern deposits had been removed from the site during the construction of the school in the mid 1970s.

<16> Ordnance Survey, 1842-1893, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 6 inch to 1 mile - Lancashire (Maps and Plans). SCH3844.

A barn and orchard are shown to the west of the moated site.

<17> Cleaver J, 1988, Barrow Old Hall, Cheshire (Unpublished Report). SCH5044.

Extensive coverage on the documentary sources associated with the site.

<18> Gaimster D, Margeson S & Barry T, 1989, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1988, p.233 (Article in Journal). SCH5630.

Excavations demonstrated that the fourth arm of the moat (on the northern side) had been infilled c.1924 when the last surviving building on the platform was demolished. Documentary evidence from 1330 infers a building on the site and there is an inventory from 1614. An area 10m x 8m was excavated on the moat platform and exposed a clay floor with associated sandstone footings. Beneath the floor was a number of clay and pebble-filled post-holes. Further post-holes were located in an area identified as a garden in the post-medieval period. Finds from disturbed contexts in the garden are probably of early to mid 16th century date.

<19> Matrix Archaeology, 2008, Barrow Old Hall, Great Sankey, Warrington, Cheshire: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment (Client Report). SCH5114.

<20> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2013, Barrow Old Hall Moated Site, Great Sankey, Warrington. Cheshire. An Archaeological Watching Brief, R3707 (Client Report). SCH7754.

<21> Archaeopress, 2018, Barrow Old Hall and Twiss Green: Investigations of two sub-manorial estate centres within the townships of Bold and Culcheth in the Hundred of Warrington 1982-87 (Book). SCH9482.

Publication of the archaeological excavations on the 1980s