| Summary : The ruined remains of Ince Manor, a monastic grange of the Benedictine Monastery of St Werburgh. It dates from the 13th century or earlier and was much rebuilt in the mid to late 14th century. A licence to crenellate the manor house was granted in 1399 and confirmed in 1410. The hall and a domestic range, now known as the Manor and Monastery Cottages, are still substantially complete. The hall is of early 15th century date with windows of late 15th/early 16th century.Ince Manor consists of two rectangular buildings of roughly coursed sandstone which form two sides of a courtyard. The north eastern building is known as the Hall and was formerly linked to the second structure which lies to the north west. This was originally a range of four lodgings, later converted into two cottages. A well survives in the south west corner of the courtyard. Park Cottages, a terrace of four houses south west of the site, was originally a stable or barn associated with the medieval manor. The site was enclosed by a boundary wall which was in turn surrounded by a rock-cut moat. Sections of both survive. |
More information : (SJ 44927655) Old Hall (NR) (Rems of) (NAT)
(SJ 44957655) Chapel (NR) (Rems of) (NAT) (1)
Ince Manor was a grange of the Benedictine Monastery of St Werburgh, Chester and was one of the chief properties soon after the Conquest. In 1399 license to crenellate the manor house was granted.
The hall and a domestic range, now known as the Manor and Monastery Cottages, are still substantially complete. The hall is of early 15th century date with windows of late 15th/early 16th century. The domestic range probably belongs to the late 13th/14th century.
The two buildings occupy two sides of a rectangular space still defined by walls and hedges. Lengths of foundation walls, now incorporated in garden boundaries, are clear evidence of a
further building occupying a third (the south) side.
Remnants of a filled-in moat or ditch are visible behind Monastery Cottages, and north of Ince Manor at the bend in the lane, a rock-cut ditch can be seen in the front gardens of a pair of recently built houses. There are also the remains, probably of small fishponds, in the field immediately north of the Manor.
Park Cottages, south of the group, incorporate Medieval stonework and may be a former barn. (2)
The hall, in use as a barn, and the domestic range or "Monastery Cottages" now roofless and in an advanced state of decay, occupy the NE and NW sides, respectively, of a quadrangle, and are the sole remains of the grange. Both are built of squared, red sandstone blocks. The lower half of the hall predates the upper half, which is rebuilt and better preserved, and which includes on the NE side, four large square-headed mullioned and transomed stone windows of prob E 16th century date beneath arches.
The windows have been blocked up with brick and gable ends are built of brick with a modern roof over.
The domestic range of four dwellings has late or modern inserted windows and doors but also retains several 14th century stone pointed-headed doorways.
There are no traces of the moat nor of the rock-cut ditch on the NE. No Medieval fishponds were seen to the N.
Park Cottages, a row of three dwellings are SW of the site at
SJ 44937648. (3)
Additional references. (4, 5)
Manor house of Abbey of St Werburgh Chester (including Old Hall and Monastery Cottages, the latter were formerly listed). Grade I. Listed. For the designated record please see The National Heritage List for England. (6, 9)
SJ 4492 7652. Ince Manor monastic grange & fishpond. Scheduled RSM
No 13516.
Scheduled. For the designated record please see The National Heritage List for England. (7, 12)
Additional bibliographic source. (8)
PORTION OF BOUNDARY WALL BETWEEN THE SQUARE AND ENTRANCE TO THE MANOR HOUSE
Listed. For the designated record please see The National Heritage List for England. (9-10)
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