Catherine Clark, Monuments manger
Student of Ironbridge Institute Masters & diploma Course in Industrial Archaeology.
1990/1
April 1991
#NOTE This document was rescanned
in 1998 and checked for scanning errors, but no guarantee of 100% accuracy.
The intention is to faithfully represent this public document - please
let us know if there are inconsistencies. [LAG]
Hedges
Open Fields
Lanes
Tramways
Pre 1772 houses
Woodhouse Farm
Stocking Farm
Eighteenth Century Houses
The Finney
This report forms a series of comments on the archaeological and
historical aspects of the Lightmoor Area, currently affected by TDC 7(1)
Application no 243. These comments have been prepared by students of the
Ironbridge Institute Masters and Diploma Course in Industrial Archaeology,
with the staff of Ironbridge Gorge Museum.
Lightmoor falls into the parish of Dawley, within the subdivision
of Little Dawley. The area affected by housing lies in the southern part
of Little Dawley, to the west of the medieval settlement. It is at present
an isolated area of farmland, with scattered cottages. There are pockets
of woodland formed on old mining features, in valleys and along the old
canal.
Lightmoor is a medieval landscape which formed the farm land for
the town of Little Dawley. In the seventeenth century the area was opened
up for mining, and by the eighteenth centuiy, it included the mining settlement
Holywell Lane `squatting' on marginal land. The Shropshire Union Canal
was built through the area in 1797. The Lightmoor Fumaces were built in
the south eastern corner of the area, transforming it into a large scale
industrial landscape with tramways, mines, pools and buildings. Subsequently
brick and tile manufacture became an important industry with the construction
of the Shutfield and Lightmoor tile works.
The area lies on the margin of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage site, within the buffer zone between the development of Telford and the Gorge Conservation area. It includes many eighteenth century buildings, and a large number of archaeological features. It is a green area, much used by local people for walking and amenity purposes.
Prehistoric Remains
In a field adjancent to Woodlands Farm, a neolithic axe head was found. The piece was triangular, of pale grey chert, with fine pressure flaking, and evidence for retouch on the straight edge.
The field is currently under grass. and further fieldwalking was not possible. It is impossible to establish whether this is a chance find or not without a full programme of field walking in the surrounding area.
Recommendations
l. Prior to development the field should be walked, and any further evidence defined.
Medieval Woodland Clearance
The Lightmoor area formed the land-holdings and farms for the medieval township of Little Dawley to the east. It includes a series of 'assarts' or cleared areas in former woodland some of which date back to at least 1086 when the Domesday survey was undertaken. Many fields today retain woodland names (e.g.Stocking,
Croppings and Woodlands).
Field boundaries are an important part of this landscape. Each
assart consisted of two or three fields, whose shapes can be used to reconstruct
the incremental pattern of clearing. On the basis of map evidence. species
counts and historical evidence, many of the hedges are up to 500 years
old and probably earlier. The earliest hedges have stone walls within them.
Some clearing may have taken place later, in the 1630s and 40s.
This pattern of fragmented small-holdings remained until at least
1772. The whole estate was owned by the Earl of Craven, who had six tenants,
each with a house in Little Dawley. These tenants held a group of farms,
each one probably worked by a tenant farmer. Several of Ihese houses remain.
Two main changes have affected the landscape since then - the building of the canal, and the creation of Woodlands Farm by 1815. which consolidated some of the fields. Some hedges have been grubbed out since 1880 and fields have gradually increased in size but the basic pattern remains the same.The enclosures of the l9th century had little effect and what remains is a good example of the extensive piecemeal farming system once typical of many parts of lowland Shropshire.
Open Fields
The other element of the medieval landscape were the open fields,
held in common by the tenants. Lightmoor lies alongside the edge of Pool
Hill Field. However, traces of typical 'Ridge and Furrow' cultivation were
found beside Holywell Lane during the excavation of one of the Squatter
Cottages. This suggests that further ridge and furrow is likely survive
in the affected area.
The Hedgerow Study
We looked at and assessed 23 hedges and boundaries within the designated
areas for housing development which for convenience are labelled A, B,
C. The boundaries are important in that they reflect a changing pattern
of land use and ownership over the past centuries. Species counts along
30 metre sections seem to indicate that most of the hedges are 400-500
years old and field name evidence corroborates this. Woodland flora such
as primroses growing at some of the hedge sides may be indicative of woodland
origin or of the proximity of a woodland area during the hedge's lifetime.
Evidence for woodland origin is particularly noticeable in area C.
Recommendations
1. All hedges and boundaries should remain.
2. Housing should be sympathetically aligned to the existing boundaries and pattern of ownership
3. Provision should be made for the care and maintenance of hedges and boundaries, including a programme
of hedge-laying and repair to stone walls.
4.Hedges should be recognised as forming a valuable habitat for wildlife.
Lanes
The area is crossed by a network of lanes which have changed little since 1772 and probably earlier. These are often bounded by stone walls and early hedgerows. A turnpike road ran along the western margine of the site.
Recommendations
1. The existing network of footpaths and roads should be fully retained.
2. Early roads should not be tarmaced, but retain a gravel surface.
3. Large plant should avoid using these roads, or damage to hedges or stone walls.
4. The junctions between new and old roads should be handled with care, and large roundabouts avoided.
Coal-mining in this area dates to at least the seventeenth century. The earliest mining is likely to have been in the north, where the Lower Coal measures outcrop. Working expanded after 1758 with the demand for coal from the iron works, and the mines were worked by the Lightmoor Coalworks Partnership and later the Coalbrookdale Company. Mines to the south west of the Lightmoor Fault are generally later than 1800.
The Ridges on the southern boundary of the site has an early iron smithy and an ironstone mine dating to before 1631. There are a number of clay mines, particularly associated with the Shutfield Brick and Tile Works, and the Lightmoor Brick and Tile Works. These included adits in the area of the Stoney Hill
Opencasting.
Documents suggest that the squatter settlement of Holywell Lane was mainly populated by miners.
Visible coal-mining remains are concentrated in the south of the area. They include pitheaps, shafts and old railways as well as the remains of a winding house. There are likely to be mining remains to the north, and the sites of early horse gins can be identified. Known pits in the area affected by the development include the Castle Yard Pits, the Deepfield Pits, the Ashtree Pits and the Jubbs Leasow Upcast and DownCast shafts.
Opencast mining has been undertaken more recently at Stoney Hill, at Holywell Lane and Stocking Farm.
This is the only area in the main part of Telford where a mining landscape remains substantially intact, with small pit heaps, tramways and squatter cottages. It also represents the close relationship between mining and
Agriculture.
Recommendations
1. A watching brief should be maintained on the area to the south of Woodland Farm where the coal
measures outcrop.
2. The Ashtree Winding House falls within the green area. This should be consolidated and made safe.
3. Pit mounds should be retained as an important feature of the landscape.
Tramways
Associated with mining and also ironworking were a network of tramways. The Coalbrookdale Area was associated with the early development of tramways, and the first iron rails. The history of tramways in this area is therefore of intense interest.
Tramways are not always marked on maps. The earliest mapped tramway crossed the southwestern margin of the area in the eighteenth century. A tramway crossed the area from east to west in 1833. There was also a tramway constructed soon after the Shropshire Union canal went out of use. There were further tramways running east west across the southern end of the site in the 1880s, linking shafts with the network of tramways in and around the Lightmoor Furnaces.
Recommendations
I. A full survey of surviving tramway remains should be undertaken in order to establish their nature and location.
2. Tramways should remain as public footpaths. Their width and structure should be retained, and they should not be 'tidied' or widened.
The area includes an extraordinary range of buildings, many of them early nineteenth century or earlier. These building types are relatively rare in the area.
The Squatter Cottage
On Woodlands Lane stands a so-called "Squatter Cottage" built in 1797. This is the only complete example of a once important building type in the area. Its setting is also unique.
In April 1797, Robert Bayley paid a 6d fine to the Earl of Craven for a cottage on a small triangle of wasteland between the Shropshire Union Canal and Woodlands Lane, just above Stocking Bridge. The site was known as Beggarly Bank. Many of the later occupants of the cottage were colliers, miners or labourers.
It was owned by the tilemaker William Taylor in the 1850s who may have installed some of the tiled features.
Squatter cottages were built on unregulated wasteland, by individuals who paid an annual fine at the Manorial court. Such communities housed a substantial part of the working population of the Coalbrookdale Coalfeld during the Industrial Revolution.
Until the early 1970s, a squatter community survived along Holywell Lane nearby, although the houses have since been demolished or modemised. A single squatter cottage from Burroughs Bank has been re-erected at the Blists Hill Museum.
The Woodlands Lane cottage is unusual in the Telford area because it has not been modemised. Few changes have taken place to the building since the 1850s.
Recommendations
1. The building should remain in its current position.
2. A full structural analysis of the building should take place in order to better understand it. This will establish parameters for any restoration work.
3. The cottage should be brought back into use. Suitable purposes might include a community centre or interpretation. Housing would involve a considerable upgrading of the current accommodation and would not be acceptable on historical grounds.
4. The outbuildings are an integral part of the complex. These should be recorded and repaired. Ideally a use such as storage should be found for them.
The Setting of the Cottage
Adjacent to the building is a series of small outbuildings, which were probably used for livestock. These are an important part of the working small holding and will provide information about domestic activities. The actual location of the cottage, between the lane and the canal, is equally important. This setting tells us much about the origins of squatter cottages. It also allows us to interpret the way of life of the tenants, their land-holding and surroundings. Further research could be undertaken into the relationship between the site and the canal, its bridge and traffic, as well as the later tramway.
Recommendations
1. The cottage plot should be retained in full including all of its present boundaries.
2. The canal has been filled in for over a century and should remain so.
3. There are cottage features right up to the margin of the present track. No excavation should take place within a distance of 2m of the front of the cottage and its outbuildings.
Eighteenth Century Houses
A series of houses survive in the area, which seem to have housed tenants of small farms in the eighteenth century. Very little is known of this type of housing in the coalfield.
A survey of 1772 showed 22 structures within the development area in addition to the cottages on Holywell Lane and "The Finney" on the margins of the area. Five of these buildings still stand, and the ruins of another remain visible (see Bath Spout Farm below). Other structures can be identified as archaeological
sites.
The surviving buildings show a pattern of brick, or stone and brick cottages scattered across the landscape. Each relates to a holding of several fields. This is a clear survival of a pre-enclosure landscape.
Recommendations
1. These are buildings of considerable historical importance to vernacular architecture.
2. As historic buildings their setting is of importance.
3. Demolished buildings should be excavated in advance of any development.
Stocking Farm
Brick built farm house and range of associated outbuildings including a barn set in a stone-walled enclosure. The remains of a building of 1772 survive in one barn, whilst the remainder of the structures are early nineteenth century.
Recommendations
1. Stocking Farm should remain, preferably in some form of agricultural use. Ideally sufficient land should remain so that this could happen.
2. The setting of the building should be retained, in particular the view from the south-west.
Woodlands Farm
This is a largely complete model farm of the late eighteenth/ early nineteenth century, with a highly interesting group of outbuildings.
No farm is shown here in 1772, but by 1817 a farm and outbuildings have been constructed. The current farm house was the original house, but between 1840 and 1882 a second house was built adjoining it to the east. Additional farm buildings were added perhaps at the same time. The stone barn across the road seems early.
The construction of model farms took place as part of the consolidation of agricultural holdings in the late eighteenth century. In this area it relates directly to the need to feed an expanding industrial workforce. Both houses are currently occupied, and all of the farm buildings are in full use for agricultural purposes.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has recently highlighted the importance of farm buildings both as a "valuable and substantial source of historical knowledge" and as part of the scenic importance of the landscape. They have also highlighted the loss of farm buildings as a shrinking legacy.
Recommendations
1. Both the farmhouse and the adjoining house should remain occupied with their lands and outbuildings intact.
2. The full range of historical farm buildings should be retained, preferably in agricultural use. This is now generally accepted as the best option for their conservation and protection. Conversion to domestic dwellings inevitably results in the loss of the character of the building.
3. The stone enclosure and barn should be retained as an interesting and potentially early survival.
Bath Spout Farm
The partially demolished remains of a farm house can be seen in a secluded valley to the north of Woodlands Lane. There was a building here in 1772 which may have been the same one. The setting of the structure is strongly remniscent of a mill.
Although the site falls into the green belt, it is likely to be the subject of further robbing for building materials, vandalism and damage.
Recommendations
1. A full architectural sunvey should be taken of the building remains.
2. Selective excavation should take place to establish the date and nature of the building.
The Long House
The foundations for a long building can be seen adjacent to Woodlands Lane. This needs further investigation.
An important part of the geography of the area is the pattern of streams and springs.
A stream runs north/south through the site, which leads into the water system through Coalbrookdale. The stream formerly ran into the huge Lightmoor Pool, now covered by a pit heap. By 1840 the stream had been straightened and culverted in parts. Various remains survive in the stream bed, including the base of a ridge.
The stream was used as part of the supply for the canal. After the canal went out of use various changes occurred, including the creation of a pool partly over the old canal bed.
There are also a pattern of naturally occurring springs and wells. The quality of water supply to these should be protected, and their outlets built into a usable form.
The construction of new houses will cause a strain on the existing water system. It has already involved the construction of a large and unsightly concrete pipe. Although a balancing lake has been established, runoff currently travels through the Coalbrookdale water system. This includes the Scheduled Dam Wall, in a highly dangerous state.
Recommendations
1. A full engineering/ archaeological sunvey of remaining streams should be undertaken, including identification of their routes, capacity, date, any archaeological remains (such as the dam by Spout farm, and the bridge fragments). This should include the destination of runoff water (the Coalbrookdale system). This will be vital before any major drainage works are planned.2. Existing streams should remain on their current routes and not be further diverted.
3. A survey of springs should be undertaken, and these should be positively presented for public use, and not infilled or stopped.
4. The source of water creating the Dingle Pool should be investigated in order to establish whether it is likely to damage the canal bed. This will involve investigating the historical relationship between the canal bed and the site of the pool.
The western branch of the Shropshire Union Canal ran through the development area from north to south. The canal was built in 1789 to link Coalbrookdale with the main canal network at Doseley. The canal went out of use in about 1794 and was replaced by a railway.
The canal line can be seen through the development area as a depression, except where it has been obliterated through open-cast mining. Some water is present in one section. By Johnsons Pipes, the canal forms a large cutting with an embankment on the west side. The route of the canal is characterised by large, well established trees including oak.
The public right of way (178A) follows the route of the canal.
A number of original canal features survive within the development area including a stone bridge, possible remains of a second bridge. Just beyond the area, a bridge and system of winds and inclines survives.
Recommendations
1. The route of the canal should be preserved as a linear feature, even where it has been lost through opencast. This could he as a footpath or cycle way which would allow cycle access to all the other crossing routes on the site. This route would link up with and make sense of the existing footpath to the Old Wind.
2. The surviving stone bridge should be repaired and consolidated. No heavy traffic should be permitted to use this route.
3. The vegetation along the canal margins should be kept and appropriately managed.
4. The source of water or the flooded section should be established. and appropriate measures taken to manage this area so that the footpath can remain open.
5. The extent and survival of the canal bridge at the western end of Holywell Lane needs to be investigated.
6. The rubbish currently dumped in the canal bed should be cleared.
The Lightmoor Furnaces were a group of 3 blast furnaces constructed from 1758 onwards. They are nationally important as an example blast furnace technology for which the Coalbrookdale area was world renowned. The furnaces closed in c,1878 and were demolished. Part of the furnaces remain up-standing and have been listed Grade II.
The ironworks as shown on the 1883 OS map comprised the furnace bank, a large casting house, a plateway network and associated outbuilding.
An archaeological investigation was undertaken in 1984 (Higgins 1988) to determine the extent of deposits to be affected by the proposed Coalbrookdale bypass. These were on a limited scale but did indicate surviving remains. No provision was made for full archaeological investigation.
About half of the complex was removed during the construction of the Coalbrookdale by-pass. The area not affected by the bypass has been enclosed in a fenced reserve. This includes a fragment of upstanding wall surrounded by rubble, although considerably more of the furnace remained visible in 1974.
Outside the fenced area to the north there were also remains of the complex. This area has been dumped upon recently. but buildings and plateway are likely to survive on or near the natural ground surface. The building to the north which remains standing may well have been part of the complex as well.
The furnace bank has landscape significance in that it creates topgraphical variety, and acts as a buffer between the bypass and the area behind. The bank is an important feature in the setting and context of Shropshire ironworks.
Recommendations
1. The existing grades and topography of the fenced area should be maintained.
2. The exposed walls and structural remains within this area should be stabilised. New development may create increased pressure. The walls will need a coherent annual maintenance provision.
3. A programme of site investigation should be undertaken in the area to the north of the existing reserve to determine the extent of archaeological remains. This will require area excavation.
4. The possible function and history of the brick building north west of the furnaces should be identified and the potential for integration into site development should be considered.
8. General Historical and Planning Issues
Lightmoor is of historical importance because:
1. It is the only well-preserved small scale industrial landscape in the main part of Telford. It includes pit heaps, tramways, shafts. This was once the character much of the area.
2. Ecology, archaeology and architecture work together to create a site worthy of an integrated designation.
3. It contains a range of buildings including farms, squatters cottages and small holdings many of which are eighteenth century in date. Not just the buildings survive, but their setting, which includes vital information about the economic use of the structures.
4. It is a landscape of medieval and possibly prehistoric origins, whose remains include the lines of hedgerows and lanes.
5 It contains many archaeological sites, including cottage locations, the line of the canal, remains of cultivation and water-power features. A neolithic axe-head was also found here.
The scale of the current development will:
1. Severely affect the setting of several of the eighteenth century buildings, compromise the current pattern of fields and hedgerows and destroy the character of Lightmoor as a pocket of historical landscape in Telford.
2. Break up the open areas into small "interlinked" wedges or bands, surrounded by built up areas.
3. Affect a number of buried archaeological sites.
4. Require extra drainage and the construction of foul sewers. This will bring extra water into the current Coalbrookdale water system. an integral part of the World Heritage site dating to the eighteenth century and earlier. This system is already under strain and there are doubts about the strength and safety of the Scheduled Dam Wall.
5. Provide no obvious tourism or leisure benefit in addition to its current popular use for walkers, horse riding and local residents. The provision of additional car-parking in this area would not be dependent upon large scale development.
6. Create a major through route across the area bringing extra traffic, rather than simply allowing access from the site to surrounding road network.
Further areas of concern highlighted by this project include:
l. Open Area - many of the archaeological remains fall into the open areas around proposed housing. The proximity of houses will create pressure on these sites which does not currently exist, including vandalism, robbing for materials and general destruction.
2. Management of archaeological sites - at present no maintenance is being undertaken on the Listed Lightmoor Furnaces. These are decaying rapidly, and brickwork is falling off them. The survey has also highlighted many other ruins which will need to be cared for. Management of these sites could involve considerable expense for a potential developer.
3. The scale of housing development will intrude into the open area, leaving it as a narrow band and a group of interlinked sites. Experience at Granville Country Park suggests that this would be much more difficult to manage than a unitary designation for a single enclosed area.
4. The proposals to use the lanes for services, as well as to provide a mixture of bridleways and footpaths should be carefully considered. Access from houses, junctions with main roads, access control and other features may damage the fragile hedgerows, canal bridges, stone walls and other features.
Recommendations
1. Existing agricultural use provides an ideal management strategy for the open land in the area. There is no current problem with access to footpaths and rights of way and the historic buildings find a suitable economic use. The distance from settlement has limited pressure on archaeological sites.
2. The complexity of Lightmoor is such that the need for any development should be very firmly established prior to granting permission. Prior development a full survey of historical features should be undertaken. This should influence not just the scale and siting of development, but details of services such as the provision of run off water.
3.A detailed proposal of drainage should be set out, which has taken historical aspects and the problems of the Coalbrookdale system into account.
4. A mechanism for comment and local involvement in the detail of the scheme should be established. This would involve considering the size, scale, density and location of housing which have not been set out here. This could be done through the local planning authority.
5. We welcome the assurance that no further open cast working will take place in the area.
We feel that this is a hasty and very general application which could give a developer very wide powers. We would strongly recommend that it be delayed full
consideration has been taken of
* the pattern of the historical landscape
* need and local planning issues
* the present amenity value, including use pattern walkers and local people
* environmental concerns
* the feasibility of a Country Park based on small pieces of land.
This would enable the application to go through the local planning procedures with full consultation throughout.
Incremental development within the local planning framework would be ideal within this area.
Appendix: Initial Inventory of Archaeological and Historical Features
Note: This is a partial inventory which is set out as an initial evaluation. There are likely to be other features. It includes sites close to the margin of the affected area.
The Finney
Substantial three storey Georgian house, brick and tile, now in poor condition. Located on Ihe margin of the development area. Shown in 1772. Owned by Earl of Craven, and leased by William Ferriday, mine owner. By 1800 it was leased by the Lightmoor Furnace Company, possibly as a managers house.
1839 leased by Harriet Davies from the Shutfield Brick and tile works
1853 Coalbrookdale Company
1889 Divided into 3 tenements
1934 Sold by Earl of Craven to J.N.Stewart
Lightmoor Furnaces Wall
Fragment of brick retaining wall for furnaces (c.1800) survives to a height of about lm. Part of much larger sub-surface feature. Listed Grade II.
Lightmoor Furnace Bank
The whole bank for the furnaces survives within an fenced enclosure. The bank is c. 3-4m high and contains considerable archaeological remains.
Brick Building, Lightmoor Road
Single storey gabled brick shed, originally extended to the north, c. IOm x 4m. Shown on 1883 map, possible industrial building relating to furnaces. Fragment of bullhead rail re-used in structure.
THE CANAL
Stocking Farm Canal Bridge (SJ676059)
Masonry arched bridge, slightly skewed, carrying Stocking Lane over the Shropshire Union Canal, built 1789. The bridge has been levelled and the road runs across the canal bed fill. Constructed of dressed yellow sandstone with arch now filled with stone probably from original construction. Abutments survive on either side of the lane.
Site of canal bridge (SJ 672055)
Site of a bridge carrying Holywell Lane over the canal. Substantial pieces of stone remain in the hedge. The extent of survival in the construction of the road needs to be investigated.
The Dingle Pool (SJ 672055)
A substantial pool survives adjacent to the canal bed in the Dingle. There is no historical evidence that this is an original canal reservoir; the pool seems to be lower than the canal, and perhaps has been extended by runoff from the bypass.
Line of Canal
The canal enters the development area by Johnsons Pipe works, where the bed has been severed. Here it forms a cutting two metres deep with a substantial on the east side. The canal runs past the Squatter Cottage (where the bed is less apparent) and under the Stocking Farm Bridge. From there the bed is visible for c.15m after which it has been interrupted by open casting. The bed can be seen again from The Dingle to the point where it has been severed by the bypass at Crackshall Lane. Beyond this is the site of the Old Wind, a major archaeological feature.
THE SQUATTER COTTAGE
The Squatter Cottage
This building is a single storey house of brick and stone with a tile roof, built in 1797.
A provisional phasing has been undertaken, although this is by no means complete. Prior to any restoration further work should be done.
Phase 1 (1797): rectangular, symmetrical building, with central doorway and windows on either side. Built of stone with brick facings to windows and door. Internally the building seems to have been undivided, with a central stack against the back wall. This has since been robbed out. There is evidence for an early low brick enclosure butting the north east corner of the cottage.
Phase 2 (?1800s): (orange mortar) The cottage was partitioned into two rooms, the central doorway blocked with stone and replaced with a a doorway at the left hand side. The rooms were linked by a door in the partition wall. Several other changes may relate to this phase. A new stack was built, with two fireplaces on either side of the partition wall. A small extension to the east was constructed, possibly housing a larder or cold room. There is a cold shelf today. To the north another extension was added in similar building materials, smaller than the present extension. This may have incorporated the earlier low wall. A large extemal stack was constructed against the north wall.
Phase 3 (by 1854): (grey mortar) Addition of a second back room to the east. At the same time, the cottage was re-roofed. The kitchen to the north was extended: the fireplace was rebuilt with a plateway rail supporting it. Plateway rails were also inserted over a westem doorway. Another door was added to the east.
Few major changes have taken place subsequently, apart from repointing and repair. Original interior finishes can be seen, including horsehair plaster, stencilling and original paint details.
The outbuildings
To the north is a small group of outbuildings, originally constructed in stone with at least two phases of further additions.
At the front of the cottage is a settle supported on brick arches. This would have been in a small lean-to, and is a typical feature of such cottages. The bench was used for large or heavy jobs such as butchering meat.
The Cottage Plot
To the east of the cottage the land falls away to the former canal side. Here there is a retaining wall of stone and brick. Below this, the canal itself has been filled in to extend the cottage plot. On the far side of the former canal bed, a high hawthorrn hedge has been planted. This seems to have been contemporary with the canal and has been laid in the past.
The hedge to the north of the plot is very mixed, and includes elder, hazel, crabapple. blackthorn and other native species. The western boundary plot is an unusual privet hedge. In contrast to Holywell lane, this is a notably sunny site.
WOODLANDS FARM
Stone Barn (SJ
To the south of Woodlands Lane. a stone-built enclosure survives. The east and part of the north wall form the walls of a barn. The barn is a long. single storey structure with an open front supported by brick piers. The pegged roof trusses incorporate re-used timber. The barn is present by 1882 but could be much earlier.
Farmhouse
Brick and tile farm house built by 1817. Two bays, two storeys, sash windows, glazed door with coloured glass. Central stair, encaustic tile pavement in hall. Two main rooms on ground floor, with kitchen and back extension.
Main House
Two storey stuccoed brick house, adjoining but post-dating farmhouse. Symmetrical facade, sash windows ornate iron canopy to door.
Servants and Farmworkers Quarter
Range of buildings abutting rear of farmhouse, built by 1717. Two storey, including servants accommodation to east, privy and converted stable.
Hay Barn
Large brick and tile threshing barn, built by 1817. Threshing opening blocked on south side, but open to north. Regular pattern of ventilation holes. Dentil eaves course. Smaller doors inserted more recently. Queen Post roof truss of rough timber. West end of building partly incorporating earlier stone structure with adjoining stone stair supported on brick arch.
Stables
Range of buildings to west of Hay barn. Two storeys of brick. Ground floor originally open fronted with bull nose brick piers, now infilled to create stable doors. At least 3 phases are visible in this structure - an original brick wall ran along the west side possibly part of a different structure, which was raised to create the main range. The building was then extended to the south.
Workers Cottage
In the corner between the Hay Barn and the stables is a small brick cottage. two rooms on the ground floor with a pantry. The cottage seems to incorporate stone walls from an earlier structure. The current stack seems to have been inserted after the blocking of a first floor window. The cottages was built over the original wall of the stable range. A small fold can be seen in front of the cottage, with a stone wall.
Coach house/Garage
Open fronted barn built between 1840 and 1882. Tile roof, bull-nose brick piers. Gable ends seem to have been rebuilt possibly in association with re-roofing. Possible doorway and partition at west end.
BATH SPOUT FARM AREA
Bath Spout Farm Building
Remains of a rectangular brick building with earlier stone structure incorporated. One wall survives nearly to gable height. Small extension to the west with low doorway. Heavily vitrified brick, hand made clay tile roof. Set beside a stream in a small plot, bounded on the north by a stone wall and to the west and east by tree lines. There are an interesting group of terrace on the hillside to the north.
Dam
Remains of a stone wall about 60cm wide survive in the stream bed. The wall is in two parts - at least 3m to the north and about 6m to the south are visible. A pool is shown here in 1928, but the pool seems to post-date the canal. There was a bridge over the pool.
This is a well built, and substantial wall, and may have supported the bridge, or alternatively a dam wall. This is an unexplained structure which urgently needs further work.
Long Building
HOUSES
4 The Stocking
Shown 1772 map as house. Was 2 cottages originally soft red brick, raised to one and a half storeys with dentil eaves course later (?l9th century). Now modern extension to south. Stone foundation.
5 The Stocking
Shown 1772. Substantial stone house with brick quoins and brick surrounds to windows and door.
Severn Cottage (Mount Pleasant)
Substantial stone cottages (c.7m x 3.5m) with brick door and window surrounds. Buttresses against one wall. Stone to gable height in south wall but possibly re-used. . Original building pre-1772 survives to the north with an extension to the south. (245)
Building, corner Holywell Lane
Brick structure survives to c.2m. Nineteenth century brick. No roof. Possibly mining structure.
Site of Squatter Cottage, Holywell Lane
Brick floor and walls survive from former squatter cottage.
Site of Squatter Cottage, Burroughs Bank
Remains of cottage survive.
HEDGE SYSTEM
Area A, South side of Woodlands Lane.
AI SJ673060
Base of stone wall, earth thrown up on north west side giving lynchet effect. Plashed hedge of holly, hazel, blackthorn, hawthorn, and elder on SE side of mound. Presence of hazel with five other species indicates pre-Tudor -1500's.Depth of hedge on SE side plus lack of fertilizer allowed growth of bluebells, mint,foxgloves. Bluebells indicative of possible woodland boundary.
A2 SJ673060
Base of stone wall, earth covered but no lynchet,field level same on both sides. Plashed hedge of blackthorn, holly, hazel and oak. Tudor,1600's.
A3 SJ672060
No stone wall or mounding of earth. Plashed hawthorn - single species hedge. Possibly original hedge grubbed out and Enclosure hedge planted.
A4 SJ672059
Base of stone wall,earth thrown up on NW side,lynchet effect. Plashed hedge of hawthorn,hazel,holly and elder. Four species - Tudor,l600's. On South side of hedge,foxgloves,dog's mercury
AS SJ671059
Site of a structure recently demolished, and shown on 1772 map. Nothing stands above ground, although there are remains of an outbuilding to the north. Local descriptions suggest that this was a long, brick cottage. This would be unusual as a domestic dwelling.
Site of Sandstone Quarry
Quarry shown in 1883, possibly source of sandstone used in a number of nineteenth century buildings including stone barns.
Circular Hummock
In field to east of Woodlands Farm. Circular feature, with about lOm across with slightly depressed central area, and slightly raised edges. Now enhanced by field rubble and rubbish (including field drains, roof tiles, bricks). Two I-section girders protrude about 30cm. suggesting that they have been let into the sides of a ?shaft early this century. No local knowledge of origin of feature. No coal in vicinity, but much water on surface. Could be spring.
ROADS
Woodlands Lane
Route travelling roughly north/south from Holywell Lane through to Woodlands Farm and thence towards the Wellington Tumpike of 1816. Old route, possibly re-opened with construction of Woodlands Farm which seems to sit on an old cross roads.
Holywell Lane
East/West route linking Little Dawley and a cross-roads to the west where routes to Coalbrookdale and Wellington joined.
Burroughs Bank
North section linking Holywell Lane shown by 1772, also south section, linking Crackshall Lane. Whole network likely to be in existence then.
Lane at Bath Spout Farm
Deep hollow lane. cutting down side of valley past spring. Now cut off by Pipe Works. Likely to be early route
MINES
Ashtree Pits
Winding house survives as well as waste heaps, and probably shafts.
Pit Mound, off Burroughs Bank
Pit mound survives, several metres high, recently bisected. Large oaks and other vegetation.
Spoil Heap and Cottage
Large pit heap with many features, including stone retaining wall >lm high. The base of a small brick cottage survives, nineteenth century with recent additions. Much domestic rubbish including bottles.
Possible Bell Pit
A slight depression ringed by spoil survives adjacent to Burroughs bank which may be a shaft of bell pit feature. Base of stone wall with earth mound.Plashed hedge of hawthorn. holly,hazel and elder - four species,l600's Tudor.
A6 SJ672058
Absence of stone wall and earth mound. Plashed hedge of hawthorn,elder and holly. Seems to have been plashed twice, horizontal boughs of approx.l 3/4 metres.Rather an anomaly, seems old but only three species.
A7 SJ674061
Base of stone wall,earth covered,field level same on both sides. Plashed hedge of hawthorn,holly,hazel,elder and one other species unidentified. Five species -1500's,pre-Tudor.
Area B southern most zone surrounding Stocking Farm, bounded by Woodlands Lane,
Burroughs Bank and Stony Hill.
B 1 SJ675060
Footpath along S.E. side.
Stone wall base, mounded earth lynchet, field level on NW side higher than SE. Plashed hedge of blackthorn, holly, hazel- three species,1700's. Presence of mint suggests prior habitation.
B2 SJ676059
South side of Woodlands Lane, on edge of development therefore vulnerable. High bank,1.75 metres, lynchet, level of field much higher than lane. Extremely old plashed hedge of hawthom, hazel, holly, ash, oak. Presence of mint, foxgloves, bluebells indicates possible woodland origin.
B3 SJ676058
First 35 metres a double hedge, space of about 9 metres and evidence of dwelling between them. Remainder of hedge grubbed out, bank remaining with fifteen mature oak trees. Stumps of plashed hawthom with girth of about 1 metre.
B4 SJ675057 (Burroughs Bank)
Banked. Evidence of early plashing. One mature oak tree, holly,elder, briar, hawthorn, poplar and maple. Seven species- early Medieval.
BS SJ672057 (South side Stoneyhill)
Banked, lynchet, field level higher than lane. Oak sapling and two mature oaks, gorse, holly. briar and honeysuckle. Four/five species. Eleven metres grubbed out. Bluebells and mint.
B6 5J671056
Bank still in evidence but mainly grubbed out apart from single standing oak, hawthom, holly, briar and blackthorn. Five species.
B7 SJ674056
Grobbed out.
B8 SJ675055
Woodland boundary between pasture and partially colonised slag heaps. Beech, blackthorn, hawthorn. elder. and mature oak. Evidence of early plashing. Bluebells and arum lilies.
B 10 SJ676059 (Boundary of Stocking Farm orchard)
Low outer bank with inner ditch. Pollarded willow outside boundarv. Early hedge of plashed hawthorn
C1 SJ673062
Stone wall, banked with earth to approx. one metre. Plashed hedge of hawthorn, hazel, beech, briar. holly, honeysuckle and one other species unidentified. Six-seven species- pre-Tudor, Medieval.Dog's mercury may indicate woodland origin.
C2 SJ674063
Little evidence of stone wall, banked with earth, lynchet effect. Two layerings of plashed hedge.of blackthoro, holly,briar, ash, alder tree. Five species-1500s.
C3 SJ672064
Part of original stone wall uncovered,.75 metres high.The girth of the horizontal boughs, up to 1.75 metres, indicates that plashing took place a long time ago. Includes blackthorn, elder,holly,hazel and birch. Good sized ash, oak and maple trees. Eight species- Medieval.
C4 SJ672065
Grown out hedge, partly grubbed out with barbed wire fencing between trees. Partly plashed. Blackthorn, holly, briar, five mature ash trees. Four species-1600s.
CS SJ672066
Plashed blackthorn, holly and briar. Lynchet. Three species. Presence of primroses may indicate woodland origin.This area, North of Woodlands Lane with the large trees and woodland flora corroborate that this land was once part of " Wood Grounds " field 217, owned by R. Whitehead in the 1772 tithe inventory.
C6 SJ672062
Stone base as lane goes down gradient creating ground lower in lane than the field level. Banked, plashed, blackthorn, holly, ash. 3 species- pre Tudor 1700s.
BIBLIOGRAPHY