Monument record 523/2/4 - Two Cockpits 125m West of Lymm Hall

Investigations by the North Cheshire Archaeology Group revealed two cock fighting pits ,15 meters in diameter at Lymm Hall. The pits contained the remains of cock-fighting tables (1).

The cock pits lie within the grounds of the hall and are badly overgrown. They are of sandstone rubble and earth construction and are well preserved. The pedestals for the tables, on which the cocks fought, still survive (2).

The remains of two embanked enclosures which were constructed as cockfighting pits. The date of their construction is probably contemporary with the building of Lymm Hall, which dates from the 17th century. The site consists of two interconnected arenas. The western arena floor is 8 metres across surrounded by a bank 8 metres wide at the base constructed of sandstone rubble and earth, standing up to 1.75 metres high. It is entered by a gap on the western side 1.5 metres wide, and on its eastern side another gap 1 metre wide leads to the second floor. This floor is 6 metres across with a surrounding bank 6 metres wide at the base and attached to the first bank, forming a figure '8' plan for the whole. In the centre of each arena is a dressed stone pedestal which stood 0.6 metres high and supported a stone table on which the birds were matched for sport. Scheduled. The pits were surveyed by RCHME in 1988 at 1:1250 scale at the same time as the moat around Lymm Hall (SJ 68 NE 10); see plans and level 3 descriptive text in NMR under collections UID 622032. (5)

Depicted on Ordanance Survey 1st and 2nd edition 25" to 1 mile maps (6 & 7).

<1> Council for British Archaeology, Various, CBA Group 5 Archaeological Newsletter, 25/7 Johnson B 1975 (Newsletter). SCH547.

<2> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME), 1983-1992, National Archaeological Record, SJ68NE10 (01/11/1990) (Digital Archive). SCH2239.

<3> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), /30377 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<4> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), /30377 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<5> English Heritage, 1993-, National Monuments Record - AMIE, 931357 (Digital Archive). SCH5180.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.