Source/Archive record SCH4091 - Hough Mill Quarry. Second Stage Archaeological Assessment at Lea Forge Farm, Wynbury, Cheshire.

Second stage archaeological assessment at Lea Forge Farm, Wynbunbury, in support of a proposal to extend sand extraction at Hough Hill Quarry. The area of proposed development contains the presumed site of Lea Forge, a post medieval ironworks on the Checkley (Forge) Brook, known from documentary sources to have been in operation from 1650 to 1820. The first stage assessment (ECH 3517), undertaken in April 1991, comprised documentary research supplemented with topographical survey and three trenches in Hammer Meadow, south-west of the Old Mill Race, however, the results of this work were inconclusive. Therefore, the second stage assessment, undertaken in June 1991, comprised a more detailed appraisal of documentary sources, further field survey in an area to the north-east of that already investigated in the stage 1 assessment, and further trial-trenching (8 trenches) of selected surface features to the south-west of the Old Mill Race and in the field between Lea Forge Farm and the Old Mill Race. The documentary evidence strongly indicated that the forge stood next to the Old Mill Race under the east side of the modern car park. The earliest map evidence shows ancilliary buildings, associated with the forge, grouped in a compound to the north-west on each side of the Old Mill Race. A trench on the north-east of the Old Mill Race contained evidence of one of the ancilliary buildings with surrounding charcoal deposits, possibly representing a shed where wood was burnt to supply the forge with charcoal. Results also confirmed the early 19th century demolition of the forge and revealed evidence for processes associated with post medieval iron-working.