Monument record 2842 - Animal Pen at Stone House Meadow

<1> Brotherton-Ratcliffe, E.H., 1975, Motorway Archaeology: M56, 1973 (Article in Journal). SCH7817.

An area of cobblestones and broken sandstone was revealed during the construction of the M56 in 1973 was found in Stone House Meadow. Excavation revealed a T shaped section of sandstone wall. The stem was 75m long north to south, with a cross piece at the southern end 65 feet long. There were no side walls and no post wholes indicating timber partitions or walls. The walls were 1 foot thick and made of rectangular sandstone blocks 14-18" x 5-6" with no mortar. There were no associated finds, although there was a quantity of eighteenth and nineteenth century pot sherds found in the area. Title deeds dated 1766 held by a local resident referred to "the messuage formerly called Kelsalls, now Stone House". A deed of 1717 held at the Cheshire Record Office referred to "Stone House, formerly Kelsalls". The feature was interpreted as a lambing fold.