by David Cummings
Early evidence of the Pit at Little Heath
The origins of the pit at Little Heath date back to at least 1711 when Gerard Townsend a Merchant of Chester (Ironmonger), who had purchased the Old Hall, built "a pond for fish", enlarging a pond on land belonging to the then Lord of the Manor, Sir Henry Harpur of Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. Evidence for this comes from a case at Chester Assizes in 1772 when Robert Townsend, Gerard's son and heir was prosecuted for not paying tax to the Lord of the Manor of Christleton for the pond on his land, for over 50 years. The case involving "a pond for fish" at Little Heath was a very long drawn out affair, but it appears that Robert Townsend won the argument in court. The pond was on an area of land, even then described as "common land", land that the people of Christleton had a right to use for grazing and watering their animals, a place to roam freely.
The origins of the pit at Little Heath date back to at least 1711 when Gerard Townsend a Merchant of Chester (Ironmonger), who had purchased the Old Hall, built "a pond for fish", enlarging a pond on land belonging to the then Lord of the Manor, Sir Henry Harpur of Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. Evidence for this comes from a case at Chester Assizes in 1772 when Robert Townsend, Gerard's son and heir was prosecuted for not paying tax to the Lord of the Manor of Christleton for the pond on his land, for over 50 years. The case involving "a pond for fish" at Little Heath was a very long drawn out affair, but it appears that Robert Townsend won the argument in court. The pond was on an area of land, even then described as "common land", land that the people of Christleton had a right to use for grazing and watering their animals, a place to roam freely.
The Geology
The area around Little Heath was the source of a number of minerals suitable for extraction, and used in many ways in village life. The village of Christleton is built on top of beds of Old Red Sandstone rock dating from about 300 million years ago, and there are several places in the village where this sandstone can be seen. The main quarry in Quarry Lane which was at its deepest adjacent to the canal provided a large amount of good workable sandstone, useful for both walls and building stone for houses, many of which are still standing today. When the excavation of the A55 extension was taking place near the Rugby club at Littleton, the hard sandstone was found to be covered by sand, to the depth of almost 50 metres. The centre of Christleton is in effect, built on an island of sandstone projecting above a "sea" of clay and soft sand which is very deep in many places.
During the last great ice age, glaciers covered the area and brought with them thousands of tons of boulder clay and debris of volcanic rocks from the Lake District and North Wales. The Cheshire Plain itself was carved out by these glaciers and evidence of this can be seen from any high point overlooking the area.
Most farmland in and around Christleton contains some evidence of the deposits of both clay and these erratic rocks, and one such granite boulder has been left at the side of the Pit near Old Pits Farm for people to see. Hundreds of marl pits still remain in the Parish as evidence of where the clay was best for marling. Although we have lost many of these pits in the last fifty years, Christleton can still be described as the pond capital of Cheshire from the density of the ponds that remain. In the 1980's a borehole survey was carried out by Geoff Clifton from Gifford & Partners. This showed that the depth of clay at the pit varies from a few centimetres to many metres. The ground typically appears to be 1m of fill (silt and clay) over a thin lens of sand, below which is 1m of clay, and below that 75cm of dry sand all lying on top of the sandstone bedrock. In another core hole we find that just over 3m down there is evidence of gravel which would have been ideal for road making by the local Highways Committee, which in the 1800's was the responsibility of the village itself.
The area around Little Heath was the source of a number of minerals suitable for extraction, and used in many ways in village life. The village of Christleton is built on top of beds of Old Red Sandstone rock dating from about 300 million years ago, and there are several places in the village where this sandstone can be seen. The main quarry in Quarry Lane which was at its deepest adjacent to the canal provided a large amount of good workable sandstone, useful for both walls and building stone for houses, many of which are still standing today. When the excavation of the A55 extension was taking place near the Rugby club at Littleton, the hard sandstone was found to be covered by sand, to the depth of almost 50 metres. The centre of Christleton is in effect, built on an island of sandstone projecting above a "sea" of clay and soft sand which is very deep in many places.
During the last great ice age, glaciers covered the area and brought with them thousands of tons of boulder clay and debris of volcanic rocks from the Lake District and North Wales. The Cheshire Plain itself was carved out by these glaciers and evidence of this can be seen from any high point overlooking the area.
Most farmland in and around Christleton contains some evidence of the deposits of both clay and these erratic rocks, and one such granite boulder has been left at the side of the Pit near Old Pits Farm for people to see. Hundreds of marl pits still remain in the Parish as evidence of where the clay was best for marling. Although we have lost many of these pits in the last fifty years, Christleton can still be described as the pond capital of Cheshire from the density of the ponds that remain. In the 1980's a borehole survey was carried out by Geoff Clifton from Gifford & Partners. This showed that the depth of clay at the pit varies from a few centimetres to many metres. The ground typically appears to be 1m of fill (silt and clay) over a thin lens of sand, below which is 1m of clay, and below that 75cm of dry sand all lying on top of the sandstone bedrock. In another core hole we find that just over 3m down there is evidence of gravel which would have been ideal for road making by the local Highways Committee, which in the 1800's was the responsibility of the village itself.
Erratic bolder
Marl a form of clay
A Christleton Brick
Cottages made with local bricks
Extraction of minerals from the Pit
Villagers from early times discovered the wealth of material available to them at the Pit. There were pockets of sand for use of the building trade, areas of gravel and rough stones to be used for road making, a deep red clay to make bricks, and a grey clay/marl which could improve the quality of local fields by adding body to the sandy structure and providing an in built fertiliser from the lime content within it.
Brickmaking
When the children of the Primary School began work on the Pit in the mid 1970's they found evidence of a brick kiln where local hand made bricks, more variable in size and shape than today's bricks, were made and fired. The bricks can be seen in many of the older cottages and walls around the village date from around 1700 when much rebuilding of the village took place, following its destruction during the Civil War in 1645. The name "Bricky Lane" is given to the lane to the north side of the Pit, indicating strongly that there was a brick kiln there. We also discovered that Christleton bricks were very expensive, and in a document at the Cheshire County Record Office found an order for 73,000 bricks from Christleton. At 9s 2d per 1000, these were more than twice as expensive as bricks from other local sources. There were several other clay pits and brick kilns in the parish, the most interesting, being the pit at Cotton Edmunds belonging to the Westminster Estate. The technique for making bricks started with clay being dug in the autumn and left to weather and break up. In spring it was mixed together with spades, and trodden down to remove stones and impurities, then moulded, dried in sheds, and fired in wood or coal fired kilns.
Villagers from early times discovered the wealth of material available to them at the Pit. There were pockets of sand for use of the building trade, areas of gravel and rough stones to be used for road making, a deep red clay to make bricks, and a grey clay/marl which could improve the quality of local fields by adding body to the sandy structure and providing an in built fertiliser from the lime content within it.
Brickmaking
When the children of the Primary School began work on the Pit in the mid 1970's they found evidence of a brick kiln where local hand made bricks, more variable in size and shape than today's bricks, were made and fired. The bricks can be seen in many of the older cottages and walls around the village date from around 1700 when much rebuilding of the village took place, following its destruction during the Civil War in 1645. The name "Bricky Lane" is given to the lane to the north side of the Pit, indicating strongly that there was a brick kiln there. We also discovered that Christleton bricks were very expensive, and in a document at the Cheshire County Record Office found an order for 73,000 bricks from Christleton. At 9s 2d per 1000, these were more than twice as expensive as bricks from other local sources. There were several other clay pits and brick kilns in the parish, the most interesting, being the pit at Cotton Edmunds belonging to the Westminster Estate. The technique for making bricks started with clay being dug in the autumn and left to weather and break up. In spring it was mixed together with spades, and trodden down to remove stones and impurities, then moulded, dried in sheds, and fired in wood or coal fired kilns.
The Pit(s) at Little Heath
In all there were probably five or even six individual pits at Little Heath each with their particular materials or aggregates, and as the years progressed each gradually filled with water, and became a source of water for both animals and the village population. Several of these pits were extensive, and others were used to dump rubbish that had accumulated from the village. This seems to have been a particularly extensive practice in Victorian times as we found lots of bottles, broken pottery and other artefacts when clearing the area in 1974. When the commercial activities at the pit ceased, the pits themselves rapidly filled with water, becoming wonderful habitats for wildlife.
In all there were probably five or even six individual pits at Little Heath each with their particular materials or aggregates, and as the years progressed each gradually filled with water, and became a source of water for both animals and the village population. Several of these pits were extensive, and others were used to dump rubbish that had accumulated from the village. This seems to have been a particularly extensive practice in Victorian times as we found lots of bottles, broken pottery and other artefacts when clearing the area in 1974. When the commercial activities at the pit ceased, the pits themselves rapidly filled with water, becoming wonderful habitats for wildlife.
Problems of Water Supply
The majority of people visiting the Pit have no idea that the only source of water to it comes from rainwater, and from several road drains along Little Heath Road. There have been many times in the history of the village that the Pit has dried up, and caused concern. In 1893 Canon Garnett writing in the Parish Magazine, describes "the Pit is becoming a problem", and in 1896 the minutes of the newly formed Parish Council state, "that the Pit has dried up and something needs to be done about it". This situation has occurred again at least four times during the 20th C, but thanks to the efforts of the Parish Council and Pit Group volunteers, the area is now well reasonably well maintained, but still depends on a steady supply of rainwater to fill it.
The last three dry periods were in 1969, when the Parish Council won a County Council Award for their Conservation efforts. In 1975/6 when the Primary School children were involved, and then in 2011 when the driest weather for over thirty years has seen the Pit become a desert in parts with much of the shallower area of land returning to a dry sandy base which has now re-colonised with plants and marsh vegetation.
The key to the rapid change of fortunes can be found in the weather patterns for particular years. Little Heath Pit depends on having sufficient rainfall to keep it full. The larger the area of open water the more evaporation that takes place, and emergent plants with roots in the water, such as bulrush and yellow flag in turn absorb considerable quantities of water. It's also estimated for example that a single willow tree absorbs 4000 litres of water per year through its roots, and we had at least thirty willow trees in the pit ! One solution was to remove some of the willows, and cut down the branch growth from time to time. This was successful in helping to retain a good water level until the drought of 2011. However some of these older stunted willows have now died of old age and have not been replaced naturally.
Long spells of warm weather can cause major problems and it's calculated that in a very sunny week in summer 5cm or two inches of water can be evaporated by the sun, and even more soaked up through the plants and aquatic vegetation. Smaller ponds protected by overhanging trees, and covered by pondweed or floating grass don't have such a problem. Ponds everywhere also suffer from a build up of silt from rotting vegetation, which accumulates after a time, and need clearing. e.g. The major London Park ponds need draining about every fifteen years to remove such silt, and Little Heath Pit being a pond with no direct flow or stream outlet, has similar problems. The latest project for the removal of silt from the Pit took place in 2007/2008 and was funded by Wren U.K. and carried out by the Blue Boar Company. Tons of silt were removed by miniature floating cranes, and poured into barges. This material was then taken to the side of the pit, unloaded into road trailers and hauled by tractor and spread over large areas of surrounding farmland, work carried out by Stuart Arden & Co. who have given great assistance to the Pit Project for many years. Another factor concerning the level of water in the Pit is that water run- off from nearby farm fields, which was once of great benefit to the main pond has largely ceased due to changes in agricultural practices since the 1970’s.
“The Magic Spring”
In 1989 during our search for a constant source of water, we followed the advice from older members of the community who were convinced that a "spring" in the area of the Alms Houses had provided water for the pit in the past. However the bubbling source of water, we found when exploring that marshy area with divining rods, proved to be a from a leaking mains water pipe 20m away. The water which flowed for seven years from this " spring", gave a regular volume of approx. 400 litres per hour, and kept the water level high. However it was lost when the leak was finally discovered and repaired. The change in vegetation due to the influx of “mains water” was quite dramatic, with bulrushes dying due to the influx of the fluoridated water, whilst yellow flag iris plants really flourished.
The majority of people visiting the Pit have no idea that the only source of water to it comes from rainwater, and from several road drains along Little Heath Road. There have been many times in the history of the village that the Pit has dried up, and caused concern. In 1893 Canon Garnett writing in the Parish Magazine, describes "the Pit is becoming a problem", and in 1896 the minutes of the newly formed Parish Council state, "that the Pit has dried up and something needs to be done about it". This situation has occurred again at least four times during the 20th C, but thanks to the efforts of the Parish Council and Pit Group volunteers, the area is now well reasonably well maintained, but still depends on a steady supply of rainwater to fill it.
The last three dry periods were in 1969, when the Parish Council won a County Council Award for their Conservation efforts. In 1975/6 when the Primary School children were involved, and then in 2011 when the driest weather for over thirty years has seen the Pit become a desert in parts with much of the shallower area of land returning to a dry sandy base which has now re-colonised with plants and marsh vegetation.
The key to the rapid change of fortunes can be found in the weather patterns for particular years. Little Heath Pit depends on having sufficient rainfall to keep it full. The larger the area of open water the more evaporation that takes place, and emergent plants with roots in the water, such as bulrush and yellow flag in turn absorb considerable quantities of water. It's also estimated for example that a single willow tree absorbs 4000 litres of water per year through its roots, and we had at least thirty willow trees in the pit ! One solution was to remove some of the willows, and cut down the branch growth from time to time. This was successful in helping to retain a good water level until the drought of 2011. However some of these older stunted willows have now died of old age and have not been replaced naturally.
Long spells of warm weather can cause major problems and it's calculated that in a very sunny week in summer 5cm or two inches of water can be evaporated by the sun, and even more soaked up through the plants and aquatic vegetation. Smaller ponds protected by overhanging trees, and covered by pondweed or floating grass don't have such a problem. Ponds everywhere also suffer from a build up of silt from rotting vegetation, which accumulates after a time, and need clearing. e.g. The major London Park ponds need draining about every fifteen years to remove such silt, and Little Heath Pit being a pond with no direct flow or stream outlet, has similar problems. The latest project for the removal of silt from the Pit took place in 2007/2008 and was funded by Wren U.K. and carried out by the Blue Boar Company. Tons of silt were removed by miniature floating cranes, and poured into barges. This material was then taken to the side of the pit, unloaded into road trailers and hauled by tractor and spread over large areas of surrounding farmland, work carried out by Stuart Arden & Co. who have given great assistance to the Pit Project for many years. Another factor concerning the level of water in the Pit is that water run- off from nearby farm fields, which was once of great benefit to the main pond has largely ceased due to changes in agricultural practices since the 1970’s.
“The Magic Spring”
In 1989 during our search for a constant source of water, we followed the advice from older members of the community who were convinced that a "spring" in the area of the Alms Houses had provided water for the pit in the past. However the bubbling source of water, we found when exploring that marshy area with divining rods, proved to be a from a leaking mains water pipe 20m away. The water which flowed for seven years from this " spring", gave a regular volume of approx. 400 litres per hour, and kept the water level high. However it was lost when the leak was finally discovered and repaired. The change in vegetation due to the influx of “mains water” was quite dramatic, with bulrushes dying due to the influx of the fluoridated water, whilst yellow flag iris plants really flourished.
The Pit in 1976
Just hard baked mud
The Pit in even early times
Blue Boar Contractors at work
Project funded through waste recycling
Copyright David Cummings 2012