Farewell Mill Farm (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of Farewell and Chorley.
In the historic county of Staffordshire.
Modern Authority of Staffordshire.
1974 county of Staffordshire.
Medieval County of Staffordshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SK08801160
Latitude 52.70210° Longitude -1.87124°

Farewell Mill Farm has been described as a Timber Castle but is rejected as such.

There are earthwork remains.

Description

Once recorded as the possible site of a castle, it is thought that earthwork remains here are actually associated with a pondbay for a former mill pond. Although no evidence for the mill now survives, 16th century documents note three mills in this area. (Staff HER)

"Mr J T Irvine thus reports the discovery of the site of what was probably a castle of Saxon date, near Lichfield. 'I have recently found the eastern mounds of a very early castle not mentioned by Shaw, or...by any other writer. The site is by the side of an ancient hollow road passing from or past Lichfield, through Lincroft to Farewill ....and on to the Chace. The site is just below Farewill Mill, where the road makes an angle, and it has running water on three sides.... The plan exhibited, shewed the position due east of Farewill, at the angle formed by the hollow road to Lichfield. The high ground, which is in the form of a rounded square, is divided by a cross ditch into two almost equal parts.' (JBAA) No traces of the earthworks of a castle were seen in this field. On its north and east sides are traces of an apparent bank, 10m wide and 1m high. It is not continuous and merges into the natural slopes elsewhere. There are old quarries to the north, north-east and east of this pasture and the 'bank' is probably he result of quarrying and later cultivation. A hollow, from north to south, across the 'cross-ditch' of Authy It is continued to the south where traces of marsh and water-weed suggest that it may be a former course of the nearby stream. There is no local tradition of a castle hereabouts. (PastScape)

Sources of information, references and further reading

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 304745.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 00989.

Periodical Articles
- 1878, Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol. 34 p. 258-9 online copy

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

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