An archaeological evaluation of the late 16th century farmstead called Cinder Hill Farm within the Holcombe Moor Training Area, Bury. The project was commissioned by the Historic Environment Advisor (Archaeology) for the Defence estates and was carried out by volunteers from Holcombe Moor Heritage Group under the professional supervision by members of the Centre for Applied Archaeology, University of Salford (CfAA).
The information contained in this webpage is taken from the report written by Brian Grimsditch for CfAA, report number 05/2010.
The evaluation was undertaken between 26th February and the 4th March 2010 and was conducted in accordance with an archaeological brief agreed between the Defence estates, Holcombe Moor Heritage Group and the County Archaeologist for Greater Manchester based within the Greater Manchester Archaeological Unit.
The site of Cinderhill Farm lies within the Holcombe Moor Training Centre which was established as a rifle range and training area around 1912. The site itself lies on the first terrace to the west of Holcombe Brook and the east of Hawkshaw. The farmhouse remains and the other perceived remains of a possible outbuilding lie on a level platform c. 1.00m higher than the land to the west. The platform is approximately 60-70m long, north to south and 30-40m wide, east to west. On this platform are the remains of the demolished farmhouse at its northern end with other masonry remains (possibly outbuildings etc.) lie c. 30m to the south. Other structural remains on the platform include a single gate post off the south west corner of the farmhouse remains, several isolated upright sandstone slabs and a boundary fence made up of thin sandstone slabs.
The earliest documentary reference to the Cinder Hill area appears to be two entries in the Tottington Manor Court Rolls from the late 16th century. In 1578 Robert Holt leased to Henry Nuttoe (presumably Henry Nuttall) for 21 years one close of land called ‘Synderhill’ (LRO DDHcl3/72 & 60). However, in 1590 Robert Holt gave a new lease to Henry Nuttall for one messuage, other buildings, and two acres in Holcombe Hey called ‘Synderhilles’. This appears to the moment at which the farmstead later known as Cinder Hill was created from the earlier medieval holding of Holcombe Hey (OAN 2006).
In 1688 Thomas Ainsworth held Cinder Hill, which at the time comprised ‘a messuage [dwelling], other buildings and 12 [Lancashire] acres of ancient copyhold land’ (LRO DDHcl 3/202). A lost datestone from the farm gave a date of 1715, which might have marked a change in tenancy (OAN 2006, 69). In 1794 the tenancy was held by John Brandwood when an engine house, location unknown but it has been suggested that this was at the Cinder Hill Factory site (Tyson 1989), is also mentioned as part of the tenancy (LRO DDX/118/139/29). The Brandwoods are also attested here in 1802 (LRO DDX 118/154/3) but the farmstead was unoccupied in 1838 when the tithe apportionment was compiled.
Twenty people from three families are recorded as living at Cinder Hill on the 1861 census including six cotton weavers and Thomas Wood, farm labourer, and his family. In 1871 there were six residents, all belonging to the Lennon family who were farming 12 acres. By 1881 James Hutchinson and his wife and daughter were farming 18 acres at Cinder Hill, whilst in 1891 the sole occupier was Benjamin Whorrell. The farm buildings were demolished in the 1960s after a period of abandonment.
The earliest detailed map of the area is the tithe map of 1842. This shows three buildings and a pond. At the northern end of the site was a pond with along its southern edge a rectangular plan building aligned west to east with an eastern outshut. This was probably the farmhouse. South-west of this building, in the south-western corner of the present northern platform, was a small square structure. 30m to the south of this feature was a T-shaped building on the present southern platform with the short arm of the T-plan running west to east. These buildings are described on the tithe apportionment as a ‘house, barn, garden and cowhouse’. Later Ordnance Survey mapping records the pond and its rectangular building and the southern T-plan building on the first edition six inch map (1850-1) and again on the 1:2500 first edition from 1893. In both cases the two buildings were linked by a straight boundary now represented by an embankment running from the southern platform to the northern platform. The same pattern is repeated on the 1912 second revision six inch map, but by the 1929 1:2500 revision the southern T-shaped building and the field boundary to the north had both gone. The site is described as Cinder Hill cottages on the 1938 1:2500 series edition and is shown as two linked ranges. It occurs for the last time as Cinder Hill Cottages on the 1955 1:10000 series edition but is missing from the 1968 edition of the 1:2500 mapping series.
To minimise the disturbance to any surviving archaeology CfAA’s proposal was to hand dig three trenches to the first encountered archaeological levels with the proviso to further investigate any revealed features believed to be connected to the farm complex. On completion of the investigation the excavated material was returned to the trenches again by the same method after back filling by hand over the exposed sensitive remains.
Three proposed evaluation trenches were excavated in this manner with Trench 1 opened over the earthworks immediately to the south of the demolished farmhouse remains (Figs. 9). The trench was orientated east/west and measuring 3.00m by 1.00m. The northern half of the trench was excavated down to the natural deposits that were c. 0.80m below the current ground surface to allow for a complete view of the section through the raised earthworks and reveal the stratigraphic profile and full depth of the earthwork.
Trench 2 was opened over the southern extent of the demolished farmhouse platform (Fig. 10) where intact masonry could be observed at ground surface level. The trench measured c. 6.00m by 1.80m running east to west and prior to investigation was covered by an extensive amount of building rubble in the form of masonry and some broken architectural features of the demolished farmhouse. The trench was perceived to be over the south western corner of the farmhouse and the intention was to reveal any surviving walls and excavate down to the floor surface on the inside and the natural deposits on the outside of the southern wall.
The majority of masonry rubble was first removed from area with any architectural features retained and photographed. Following this removal the an area c. 1.00m wide was cleaned to the floor surface revealing a mixed surface of soil and mortar with a plinth running around the inside of the southern wall of the farmhouse. A small sondage was opened in the south east corner formed by an internal north to south brick blocked doorway and the southern wall of the farmhouse. This sondage was excavated to a depth of c. 0.4m to reveal the yellow clay natural deposits. It appeared that any floor surface of the farmhouse had been removed prior to demolition.
A further sondage was opened on the exterior of the southern wall to reveal its depth.
The remaining Trench 3 was opened approximately 40m south of the farmhouse remains on a small platform rising c. 0.5m above the surrounding ground level (Fig. 11) and where stone remains, originally perceived to be a stone lined vat, where visible at the ground surface.
On removing the topsoil it became obvious that this ‘stone lined vat’ was only part of a larger structure and was in fact not a vat but a room. The western part of the trench was filled with a very mixed material consisting of soils, rubbish, demolition material and many 19th century artefacts in the form of pottery, metal and glass and appears to have been used as a rubbish pit. It contained three large thin slabs of sandstone similar to others seen around the site that were possibly used as stall partitions. Surrounding this rubbish pit were three walls of rough irregular coursed stone two in an east to west orientation approximately 0.75m apart and another running north to south at the eastern end of the two east/west ones.
Running adjacent to this north/south wall was another abutting it but not joined with a gap of c. 0.10m between. At the southern end of this wall was a further wall running east to west forming a right angle suggesting a further structure.
Primary topsoil deposits were initially excavated by hand in all trenches and subsequently excavation of all trenches were continued by hand until the first archaeological layers were uncovered, whereupon further sondages were excavated to investigate any perceived archaeological features such as the wall, floor surfaces and foundation deposits associated with walls.
Trench 1 was sited over the fall of slope of the western edge of the platform close to the farmhouse remains. The topsoil was first removed revealing a dome of mid brownish yellow sandy clay (002) in the centre of the trench at the fall of slope of the platform running in a north to south direction. A sonadge along the northern edge of the trench was opened down to the natural yellow clay deposits (099) in order to obtain a true stratigraphic sequence (Fig. 13). This sondage revealed that the deposit (002) lay on top of mid brownish brown sandy loam (005) with further dark brownish brown layers (003 & 004) lay up against the western side of (002). No structural details were observed in this trench, however, a large metal spike was found inserted in the northern edge of (002) with a corresponding stake hole filled with dark brown soil on the southern edge.
There was a substantial amount of masonry rubble (006) at the northern end of the site but it was possible to see that along the southern edge of this rubble was a possible wall. An area approximately 1.00m along its southern edge was first cleared of this rubble revealing a substantial coursed, watershot masonry wall (009) running east to west that at its western end turned perpendicular towards the north (Fig. 15). An area along the inside (northern) edge of this wall was excavated revealing a stone plinth (007) c. 0.35m wide running the full length of the wall and turning northwards at the eastern edge of the trench. Excavation along the eastern edge of the trench showed that the wall (007) returned north at this point but with a 1.20m gap at its southern end. This gap was filled with a single course of mid 19th century bricks effectively blocking the gap (Fig. 16).
A small sondage was opened in the south eastern corner along the masonry plinth (007). The bottom of the rubble (006) contained fewer pieces of masonry and was composed of mainly grey mortar and a few stone fragments. This extended down below the top of (007) leading to natural deposits (099) approximately 0.35m below. This suggested that any floor material was removed prior to demolition.
A further sondage was opened on the exterior of the southern wall to reveal its depth. At 0.5m below the ground the natural yellow clay deposits were encountered and it was seen that the foundations of the southern wall were built directly onto this. It also demonstrated that the foundations were three courses deep with a further three courses of masonry surviving above this.
The previous landscape survey identified a stone lined vat on the fall of slope of the platform some 30m south of the farmhouse. This ‘vat’ contained a deep deposit of mixed soils and stone (017) with three large, thin stone slabs similar to those in the boundary fence. On removing this infill it was revealed that it contained a large amount of artefacts in the form of pottery, metal and glass predominately dating from the mid 19th to early 20th century (Figs. 18 & 19). It is probable that this feature was subsequently used as a rubbish pit following abandonment.
After removal of infill (017) three walls (015 & 020) running east to west and one running north to south (014) were revealed of rough random coursed stone (Fig. 20). Laid up against wall (015) was a stone slab (019) and it was this and other slabs observed previously that led to the initial interpretation that this feature was a ‘vat’ (Fig. 21)
Running alongside wall (014) with a gap of c. 0.10m between them was a further wall (012). This wall extended further south by at least 0.60m to the end of the trench and appeared to be a separate structure. As a result of this the trench was extended to the east revealing a further wall (013) running perpendicular to (012) suggesting an associated structure (Fig. 22).
The late 19th early 20th century photograph below, although only showing the eastern end of the farmhouse, was a useful piece of evidence with regards to trenches 1 and 2. It shows a family sitting outside the farmhouse. They appear to be leaning against a wooden fence located c. 5-10m away from the southern elevation of the farmhouse with an open area between the fence and the farmhouse. It also shows what appears to be the eastern end of the southern elevation of the farmhouse. It has a chimney at the eastern gable with the pots similar to the broken fragments revealed in trench 1 and it also appears to have a stone slate roof. Off the eastern gable there is a single storey addition to the farmhouse.
The late 19th early 20th century photograph gave a good indication of the form and fabric of the farmhouse. Together with the archaeological evidence in the form of the deliberately raised platform as indicated by the deposit (002) it is probable that this area was the kitchen garden of the farmhouse.
The results obtained from trench 2 showed that much of the structural material (006) of the farmhouse following demolition was piled up over its footprint. This material contained several architectural features such as pieces of ceramic chimney pots, stone slates and importantly broken pieces of stone window mullions (Figs. 23 & 24). The style of these mullions is indicative of a date of c. late 17th century.
An internal wall was also revealed with a blocked opening at it southern end against the southern wall (009) this opening had been blocked by mid 19th century bricks (008) and could indicate that the farmhouse was divided up into separate dwellings during that period.
The sonadage on the exterior (southern) side of the wall (009) revealed the foundations of the farmhouse extended to c. 0.5m below the ground surface and built directly upon the natural deposits (099). The southern wall survived to a height of a further 0.5m or three courses.
The excavations of this trench revealed that the initial interpretation of a stone vat was erroneous as demonstrated by the complex of walls (012, 013, 014, 015, 018 and 020). Further map research has also shown that a rectangular structure does appear at this location on the 1842 tithe map and is still evident on the maps of 1910 but by 1929 it appears to have been demolished. There is no indication on the map for the function of this structure but it is possible that it was an outbuilding in connection with the farmhouse and the presence of the large stone slabs possibly indicating use as animal stall partitions. A cowhouse is mentioned in the 1842 tithe schedule and this could be that building.
The evaluation carried out at Cinder Hills Farm could be deemed a success. The aims were:
The first of these aims was completed in that trench 1 demonstrated that the platform was created to form a raised area on which the buildings could be constructed and the area of trench 1 was probably the kitchen garden associated with the farmhouse and described in the 1842 tithe map apportionments.
Trench 2 demonstrated that the farmhouse probably survives to a good extent with the footprint of the farmhouse surviving to at least one metre above and below the ground on the southern and western sides. It also showed that certain alterations had taken place as seen with the brick blocked doorway. The Census of 1861 shows twelve people living at Cinder Hills Farm, some of whom were weavers. It is thus possible that the farm had been converted into dwellings at that time which would concur with the date analysis of the brick blocking of the doorway. Although much later, on the map of 1938 the farm was designated as Cinder Hills Cottages.
The final trench could certainly be said to have added to the knowledge-base of the site in that what was originally thought to have been vats were in fact the rectangular outbuilding described on the 1842 tithe map and is possible that it was the barn and cowhouse described in the apportionment of that map.
The second of these aims was also successfully completed in that eight members of the HMHG participated in the evaluation and were taught a variety of archaeological techniques such as excavation, recording, artefact analysis and site maintenance
We would like to thank the following people who volunteered to carry out the excavations at Cinderhills Farms for their enthusiasm and hard work: Christine Taylor, Pauline Chadwick, Diane Morley, Jonathan Ali, Cyril Formby, Mike Woodford, Rick Bowden and Barry Simpson.
Also thanks to Phil Abrahamson, Historic Environment Advisors office (Archaeology), Clare Louise Hetherington of Estate Surveyors DE Operations North-Land Management Services and Major James Evans, Commandant Halton and Holcombe Camps for their financial support, permission, help and encouragement during this and other projects on the Holcombe Camp.
Finally to John Roberts and Adam Thompson (Centre for Applied Archaeology, University of Salford who supervised the excavations and teaching of the volunteer excavators.