Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Middleton Hall
Hob Uid: 71498
Location : Cheshire West and Chester Aston
Grid Ref : SJ5559077030
Summary : Medieval moated monastic grange and fishpond complex surviving as earthworks. Site of chapel and Middleton Hall.This is the site of Mid-Easton recorded in Domesday Book, a possesion of St Werburgh's Church, Chester. In 1236 it was granted to Norton Priory and became a monastic grange. A domestic chapel was extant there in 1425, and it is believed that this continued to function as such after the Reformation, until replaced by Middleton Hall.
More information : [SJ 5559 7703] Moat [GT] (1) The moat at Middleton Grange is undoubtedly the site of Middleton Hall. In 1920 R.H. Linaker excavated the moat (still water-filled), and found dressed stones both in the water and within the enclosure. He concluded that they were the remains of the domestic chapel.. extant 1425.(3) (2-3) A well preserved rectangular homestead moat which is now dry. The SW quarter is cut off by an internal ditch this forming an independent moated area, which is apparently coeval with the main moat. No trace was found of buildings, bridge or causeway. Resurveyed at 1/2500 (4) Survey of 2.11.62 checked and still correct. (5) Two roughly squared stones were seen within the main moat at SJ 5560 7705 otherwise no change since reports of 5 11 62 and 23 6 64. (6) SJ 5572 7703. Middleton moated monastic grange, eight fishponds and connecting channels. Scheduled RSM No 13515. The monument is divided into four separate constraint areas. The island measures some 64m by 54m and is surrounded by a dry moat up to 12m wide and 2.5m deep. An outer bank 8m wide and 1m high flanks the moat's S arm. The SW quadrant of the island has been separated from the remainder by a dry ditch up to 8m wide and 2.5m deep. In 'The Coppice' to the E of the moat lie eight fishponds and connecting channels. At the NE of the group are a set of three irregularly-shaped waterlogged ponds measuring, from N to S, some 65m by 37m, 67m by 35m, and 24m by 16m. At the SE end there is a second set of three ponds measuring, from N to S, 20m by 16m, 43m by 12m, and 17m by 11m. The N and central of these ponds remains waterlogged, the S pond is dry. Situated between these ponds and the moat are a further two waterlogged ponds, each measuring some 16m by 8m, with an outlet channel issuing from the westerly. The site is considered to be the Mid-Easton referred to in Domesday and known to have belonged to St Werburgh's Church in Chester. The site was confirmed to Norton Priory by John Lacey, Earl of Lincoln and Halton in c.1236. A chapel is known to have existed at Middleton with a priest provided by Norton Priory. After the Dissolution the chapel is thought to have continued in use and the island occupied by Middleton Hall. Limited excavation in the moat in 1920 revealed stone octagonal pillars for supporting a timber bridge. (7) The site was mapped from lidar imagery as part of the 'Cheshire Aerial Investigation and Mapping Project: the Chester environs' in 2019. The moat was mapped from earthworks visible on lidar imagery in south of the parish of Aston. The site is extant on the latest 2016 aerial photography. (8-9)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : 6" 1954.
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : The Cheshire Sheaf, 3rd Series Vol 17, 1920, p.60 (J.H.E.B.)
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : History of Cheshire, Vol 1 1882, p. 720, (G. Ormerod).
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : F1 JR 05-NOV-62
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : F2 TPW 23-JUN-64
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : F3 DJC 18-FEB-76
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : English Heritage Scheduling Amendment 26/3/92
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : LIDAR Environment Agency FIRST RETURN 21-DEC-2016
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : Next Perspectives APGB Imagery 19-JUL-2016
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Grange post 1236Cha
Monument End Date : 1236
Monument Start Date : 1236
Monument Type : Moat, Fishpond, Augustinian Grange, Chapel
Evidence : Earthwork, Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Chapel documented 1425
Monument End Date : 1425
Monument Start Date : 1425
Monument Type : Chapel
Evidence : Documentary Evidence

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Post Medieval
Monument End Date : 1901
Monument Start Date : 1540
Monument Type : Domestic Chapel, Moat, House
Evidence : Sub Surface Deposit, Earthwork, Documentary Evidence

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 13515
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External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Cheshire)
External Cross Reference Number : 932/1/1
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SJ 57 NE 6
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Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EXCAVATION
Start Date : 1920-01-01
End Date : 1920-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1962-11-05
End Date : 1962-11-05

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1964-06-23
End Date : 1964-06-23

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1976-02-18
End Date : 1976-02-18

Historic England Research Records

Middleton Hall