Bradford Lane, Nether Alderley, Cheshire. Documentary Research, Walkover Survey and Watching Brief.

Following a proposal by United Utilities to construct a new water main measuring
160m long and running adjacent to Bradford Lane (NGR SJ 86018 77110 to SJ 84951
76338), Nether Alderley, Cheshire, the Historic Environment Records Officer
recommended a programme of archaeological work. This was to comprise
documentary research and a walkover survey of an area around the proposed
development, in order to assess the likely impact on any remains of archaeological
significance. This was undertaken in May 2007.
The route or the proposed pipeline crosses through mainly agricultural land, which
would have once been in the Stanley Estate. The only medieval feature identified
through the documentary research was the site of an iron bloomery (Site 07) and the
Stanley Estate has four Listed Buildings (Sites 01-04), within the study area, which
are post-medieval in date. Indeed, for the most part, the study area may be
characterised as a post-medieval and Industrial Period, agricultural landscape, with
such features as field boundaries (Sites 12, 15, 18 and 20), marl pits (Sites 10, 17 and
19), a drainage system (Site 11) and the site of a water/feeding hollow (Site 16).
Mining and quarrying have had a major influence on the surrounding landscape, but
there has been no recorded evidence of mining within the study area itself. However,
there are remains of sandstone quarries (Sites 06, 08 and 21) and associated tracks and
roads (Sites 05, 13 and 14), all of which, date to the Industrial Period. In addition, the
final feature identified and confirmed was that of a disused Industrial period hollowway/
lane previously known as Cow Lane (Site 09).
In total, 21 sites of archaeological interest were identified through the documentary