Monument record 1783 - Castletown

<1> Turner R C, 1986, Castletown, near Farndon, Cheshire, /1 (Unpublished Report). SCH517.

Castletown shrunken hamlet. Visible as earthworks on the eastern side of the green lane (RN:1785/1). There are typical tofts and crofts strung in a line and surrounded by their medieval fields. One is occupied by Shocklach House Farm of 17th century origin. A survey of Castletown of 1603 records 9 cottages, whose sites may all survive here

<2> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, 9/61 Williams S R 1983 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

Three small ditched enclosures of toft and croft type. One of them is backed by 2 short ridges and furrows of hand-dug type. An apparent small ditched enclosure also exists to the north, on the green lane at SJ43855111, but the prominent corner of this feature may merely mark a right angled bend in the parish boundary between Caldecott and Grafton

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, 1981 SJ45SW18 (Index). SCH2487.

<4> Various, Aerial photographs, Ch Shocklach Williams S R 1977 (Aerial Photograph). SCH128.

For air photos, see Church Shocklach 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13 l4.

<5> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), 30391 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

The monument includes the house platforms (tofts) and the small enclosures (crofts) of a medieval settlement situated to the north and south of Castletown Farm. It is in two areas of protection. In the fields to the east of the settlement are substantial remains of the cultivation strips known as ridge and furrow.

The settlement was associated with a motte and bailey castle, Shocklach Castle built c.1100, and a later moated site 500m to the west. A church of Norman date stands at Church Shocklach 600m to the south. The remains of the settlement extend across the boundary between the present parishes of Grafton and Caldecott and consist of the tofts for at least three houses on the southern side of the farm and three or four tofts and crofts to the north. Originally these two areas of settlement would have been linked but the later construction of Castletown Farm has divided the two areas and obscured evidence of the settlement beneath it.

The well-preserved blocks of earthwork ridge and furrow to the east with their headlands represent part of the open fields cultivated by the villagers during the medieval period.

<6> Gifford and Partners, 2005, Castletown Farm, Shocklach; an Archaeological Watching Brief., R2551 (Client Report). SCH4744.

A watching brief during construction of a new farm access trackin 2005 found modern distubance but no upstanding earthworks. This islikelyto be due to the regular use of thie are of land as fam access,

<7> Historic England & Archaeological Research Services, 2017, Cheshire National Mapping Programme and Lidar Mapping Project: Sampling the Peak Fringe, Cheshire Plain and Mersey Valley, 688914 (Digital Archive). SCH8172.

The earthworks of the medieval / post medieval settlement around the modern farm of Castletown are visible on lidar imagery and extant on the latest 2013 aerial photography. They are centred at approximately SJ 4390 5101 and were mapped as part of the Cheshire National Mapping Programme project.

The site consists of a number of tofts or platforms and associated boundaries, ditches and enclosures, some containing ridge and furrow ploughing, to the south of the current farm complex. A pit may represent a contemporary feature or later robbing.

A further rectilinear enclosure is located to the immediate north of the modern farm, defined by an external ditch and internal bank and may be associated with the settlement.

The settlement itself and the ridge and furrow within its immediate environs are included in this record, whilst the broader open field system boundaries (UIDs 1608025, 1608027) and ridge and furrow (UIDs 1606668, 1607094, 1607985) associated with Castletown are recorded elsewhere. The Scheduled monument includes both the settlement itself and an area of the open field system to immediate north of Castletown (8-9).

<8> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, 16-FEB-2001 (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

<9> Next Perspectives, 2013, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery (2013), SJ4350 09-JUN-2013 (Aerial Photograph). SCH8273.

<9> Next Perspectives, 2016, Aerial Photography for Great Britain, Next Perspectives APGB Imagery (2016), SJ4350 09-JUN-2013 (Aerial Photograph). SCH9150.