More information : SJ 581 631. A small moated homestead site, probably the site of
Rushton Hall, which was probably Medieval but rebuilt in the 17th
century, is situated in a field alongside The Hall Lane. An outer
ditch on the north-west and north-east sides, is possibly a
stewpond.
(SJ 579 631) Rushton. Moated site 500m. south-east of Eaton. Scheduled Cheshire 115. (2)
Indistinct features and rig and furrow visible on APs, but no
clear indications of a moat. (3)
SJ 5790 6313 (FCE). The moat is well-preserved although smoothed by
over-ploughing, and has been re-used in the post-medieval period as
an ornamental water feature surrounding the Hall. The original moat
was broadly rectangular and enclosed an island of some 75m north-
south by 50m; the ditch measured 15m wide and survives up to 1m deep.
The medieval house on the island was sold for its materials in 1442
(4a). The site was later purchased by William Hinton in 1547-8 (4b),
when the house was probably rebuilt (contra the 17th century date of
authority 1). This is probably the time when the south arm of the
moat was broadened out to form a broad ornamental pond, with a
second, smaller, pond dug a little south again, to create an
ornamental setting for the new house. There is a small island in the
middle of the larger of these ponds. The additional moat clasping the
north end of the site (the possible stewpond of authority 1) is also
probably an ornamental feature associated with this phase. The
original access to the house was from the east where there is a low
causeway 0.3m high leading up to the moat which is slightly infilled
at this point by a spread of broken sandstone. The site was probably
abandoned in the 18th century, since the house is not shown on
Burdett's county map of 1777.
The post-medieval house may have stood within a park (SJ 56 SE 27).
The earthworks were surveyed at 1:1000 scale by RCHME; plans and
descriptive text are held in the NMR. (4)
Short description and plan of the moat and water features. (5) |