There are more than two hundred
scheduled monuments in
Cheshire, a county in
North West England, which date from the
Neolithic period to the middle of the 20th century. This list includes the scheduled monuments in Cheshire dating from before the year 1066, the year accepted by Revealing Cheshire's Past[1] as the start of the
Medieval period.
A scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or monument which is given legal protection by being placed on a list (or "schedule") by the
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport;
English Heritage takes the leading role in identifying such sites. The current legislation supporting this is the
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The term "monument" can apply to the whole range of archaeological sites, and they are not always visible above ground. Such sites have to have been deliberately constructed by human activity. They range from
prehistoric standing stones and burial sites, through
Roman remains and medieval structures such as castles and monasteries, to later structures such as industrial sites and buildings constructed for the World Wars.[2]
At least 84 monuments dating from before 1066 have been scheduled in Cheshire, the oldest probably being
The Bridestones, a Neolithic
long cairn. The monument at
Somerford is also thought to have been a long cairn and there is evidence of a Neolithic settlement at
Tatton. The
Bronze Age is the period most strongly represented before 1066 with 44 monuments, almost all of which are
round barrows. Eleven
Iron Agehillforts or
promontory forts are scheduled. The period of Roman rule left a variety of scheduled monuments, including the remains of settlements at Heronbridge and
Wilderspool, and parts of
Chester city walls. Definite or possible Roman military camps have been revealed by
aerial photography showing
cropmarks and
parchmarks. The monuments remaining from the
Dark Age and the
Saxon period consist mainly of portions of
crosses, and there is evidence of Saxon occupation of villages, now deserted, at Tatton and
Baddiley.
A round barrow 50 feet (15 m) across and 6 feet (2 m) high. An excavation in 1965–66 revealed
flints, pottery
sherds and two
urns, one of which contained a
cremation.[10][11][12]
A hillfort on a prominent rocky outcrop. The site is now occupied by a ruined medieval castle which has obliterated the signs of earlier occupation.[13][14][15]
Two
cross staffs set in a massive stone base. Each has traces of carved interlaced ornament. Carved initials have been added, probably in the Medieval period.[31][32][33]
The smallest promontory
hillfort in the county. It has natural defences only to the north; the other defences have been damaged by ploughing.[34][35][36]
The only known Neolithic tomb in the county, formerly a chambered
long cairn. Much of its fabric was removed in the mid-18th century to build a road. It now consists of a chamber enclosed by large stone slabs.[37][38][39]
A cremation burial site in which the bones of a child or young person were found 3 feet (1 m) below the surface surrounded by a stone circle 20 feet (6 m) in diameter. Inside the circle was an upright stone slab, which is still present.[42][43][44]
An almost complete circuit of red sandstone walls round the city. The north and east walls follow Roman foundations and contain fabric from that era.[63][64][65][66]
A
gritstone pillar in a socket stone on a mound. The shaft is round and has the remains of a small wheelhead cross on the top.[67][68][69] In The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, a work for children by
Alan Garner, Cleulow Cross is the location of the finale of the story.
A former hillfort on a steep-sided sandstone projection on the east side of the mid-Cheshire ridge. The defences consist of two earth
ramparts with a single ditch between them.[75][76][77][78][79]
A round barrow excavated in 1960 which was found to contain a primary cremation burial as well as fragments of a secondary burial, time frame unknown.[90][91][92]
A promontory fort with steep sides to the south and a curving bank and ditch to the north. In the 19th century a
palstave and a fragment of a sword were found.[132][133][134]
Much of The Appleton Thorn portion of the road is now covered by the village hall car park; the scheduled portion of the road in Stretton is near to Mosswood Hall[168][169][170]
A defensive settlement on a ridge with the mere to the southwest and marsh to the northwest and southeast. The northeast was defended by a ditch.[174][175][176]
Three Saxon stone fragments cemented together in the churchyard of
St Peter's; the lower two fragments come from one cross while the top one is from a different cross.[180][181]
A pair of Saxon crosses decorated with carvings on all faces. They have been moved on several occasions and were erected in their present position in 1816. They are listed at Grade I.[188][189][190][191]
A round barrow 24m in diameter and up to 1.4m in height. When excavated in 1962 secondary cremations were found but no primary cremation.[219][220][221]
A round barrow, formerly part of a cemetery. Excavation in 1860 revealed a large urn containing human bones, a stone axe hammer and a bronze spear head.[261][262][263]
A round barrow 19m in diameter in which Roman coins and other objects have been found.[277][278][279][280]
Blackrock Farm barrowThe BowstonesThe BridestonesChester Roman amphitheatreChester City WallsEddisbury hill fort from the westMinerva's shrine in Edgar's FieldHelsby HillKnightslow WoodMaiden Castle rampartPrestbury churchyard crossSponds HillSt. Plegmund's wellGrounds around Tatton Old HallGrounds of St Chad's Church, WybunburyBarrow on Yearns Low
There are more than two hundred
scheduled monuments in
Cheshire, a county in
North West England, which date from the
Neolithic period to the middle of the 20th century. This list includes the scheduled monuments in Cheshire dating from before the year 1066, the year accepted by Revealing Cheshire's Past[1] as the start of the
Medieval period.
A scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or monument which is given legal protection by being placed on a list (or "schedule") by the
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport;
English Heritage takes the leading role in identifying such sites. The current legislation supporting this is the
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The term "monument" can apply to the whole range of archaeological sites, and they are not always visible above ground. Such sites have to have been deliberately constructed by human activity. They range from
prehistoric standing stones and burial sites, through
Roman remains and medieval structures such as castles and monasteries, to later structures such as industrial sites and buildings constructed for the World Wars.[2]
At least 84 monuments dating from before 1066 have been scheduled in Cheshire, the oldest probably being
The Bridestones, a Neolithic
long cairn. The monument at
Somerford is also thought to have been a long cairn and there is evidence of a Neolithic settlement at
Tatton. The
Bronze Age is the period most strongly represented before 1066 with 44 monuments, almost all of which are
round barrows. Eleven
Iron Agehillforts or
promontory forts are scheduled. The period of Roman rule left a variety of scheduled monuments, including the remains of settlements at Heronbridge and
Wilderspool, and parts of
Chester city walls. Definite or possible Roman military camps have been revealed by
aerial photography showing
cropmarks and
parchmarks. The monuments remaining from the
Dark Age and the
Saxon period consist mainly of portions of
crosses, and there is evidence of Saxon occupation of villages, now deserted, at Tatton and
Baddiley.
A round barrow 50 feet (15 m) across and 6 feet (2 m) high. An excavation in 1965–66 revealed
flints, pottery
sherds and two
urns, one of which contained a
cremation.[10][11][12]
A hillfort on a prominent rocky outcrop. The site is now occupied by a ruined medieval castle which has obliterated the signs of earlier occupation.[13][14][15]
Two
cross staffs set in a massive stone base. Each has traces of carved interlaced ornament. Carved initials have been added, probably in the Medieval period.[31][32][33]
The smallest promontory
hillfort in the county. It has natural defences only to the north; the other defences have been damaged by ploughing.[34][35][36]
The only known Neolithic tomb in the county, formerly a chambered
long cairn. Much of its fabric was removed in the mid-18th century to build a road. It now consists of a chamber enclosed by large stone slabs.[37][38][39]
A cremation burial site in which the bones of a child or young person were found 3 feet (1 m) below the surface surrounded by a stone circle 20 feet (6 m) in diameter. Inside the circle was an upright stone slab, which is still present.[42][43][44]
An almost complete circuit of red sandstone walls round the city. The north and east walls follow Roman foundations and contain fabric from that era.[63][64][65][66]
A
gritstone pillar in a socket stone on a mound. The shaft is round and has the remains of a small wheelhead cross on the top.[67][68][69] In The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, a work for children by
Alan Garner, Cleulow Cross is the location of the finale of the story.
A former hillfort on a steep-sided sandstone projection on the east side of the mid-Cheshire ridge. The defences consist of two earth
ramparts with a single ditch between them.[75][76][77][78][79]
A round barrow excavated in 1960 which was found to contain a primary cremation burial as well as fragments of a secondary burial, time frame unknown.[90][91][92]
A promontory fort with steep sides to the south and a curving bank and ditch to the north. In the 19th century a
palstave and a fragment of a sword were found.[132][133][134]
Much of The Appleton Thorn portion of the road is now covered by the village hall car park; the scheduled portion of the road in Stretton is near to Mosswood Hall[168][169][170]
A defensive settlement on a ridge with the mere to the southwest and marsh to the northwest and southeast. The northeast was defended by a ditch.[174][175][176]
Three Saxon stone fragments cemented together in the churchyard of
St Peter's; the lower two fragments come from one cross while the top one is from a different cross.[180][181]
A pair of Saxon crosses decorated with carvings on all faces. They have been moved on several occasions and were erected in their present position in 1816. They are listed at Grade I.[188][189][190][191]
A round barrow 24m in diameter and up to 1.4m in height. When excavated in 1962 secondary cremations were found but no primary cremation.[219][220][221]
A round barrow, formerly part of a cemetery. Excavation in 1860 revealed a large urn containing human bones, a stone axe hammer and a bronze spear head.[261][262][263]
A round barrow 19m in diameter in which Roman coins and other objects have been found.[277][278][279][280]
Blackrock Farm barrowThe BowstonesThe BridestonesChester Roman amphitheatreChester City WallsEddisbury hill fort from the westMinerva's shrine in Edgar's FieldHelsby HillKnightslow WoodMaiden Castle rampartPrestbury churchyard crossSponds HillSt. Plegmund's wellGrounds around Tatton Old HallGrounds of St Chad's Church, WybunburyBarrow on Yearns Low