Tidestone at SJ 51543 77900

To the rear of the former Old Hall Hotel, Main Street, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 7AB

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Overview

A stone, erected in the early 19th century to mark the limit of an extreme high tide of the River Mersey in 1802. Read the official list entry to find out more.

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1253320
Date first listed:: 06-Dec-1985
List Entry Name:: Tidestone at SJ 51543 77900
Statutory Address:: To the rear of the former Old Hall Hotel, Main Street, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 7AB

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Date:: 2005-07-05
Reference:: IOE01/13394/14
Rights:: © Mr W. David Lowe. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1253320
Date first listed:: 06-Dec-1985
Date of most recent amendment:: 06-Jan-2025
List Entry Name:: Tidestone at SJ 51543 77900
Location Description:
Statutory Address 1:: To the rear of the former Old Hall Hotel, Main Street, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 7AB

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: To the rear of the former Old Hall Hotel, Main Street, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 7AB

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:: Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary Authority)
Parish:: Frodsham
National Grid Reference:: SJ5154377900

Summary

A stone, erected in the early C19 to mark the limit of an extreme high tide of the River Mersey in 1802.

Reasons for Designation

Tidestone at SJ 51543 77900, of around 1802, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* a rare example of a tidestone;

* a classically-inspired, rectangular section sandstone slab with a segmental head that exhibits good-quality tooling;

* the inscribed lettering remains legible;

* the stone stands in its original position.

Historic interest:

* the stone provides a physical and inscribed record of the highest extent of a major flooding event that occurred on 21 January 1802.

Group value:

* the stone benefits from a strong spatial, functional and historical group value with a nearby Grade II listed tidestone, which records a later flooding event that occurred in 1862.

History

The wide, low-lying tidal estuary of the River Mersey has always been subject to flooding on high tidal events. On 21 January 1802, a flood tide covered large areas of adjacent land, which was known as Frodsham Marsh, and the highest extent at Frodsham was recorded by a small tide stone marker. This point was in the field to the rear of the former Old Hall Hotel, some 5-7m above mean high tide, and 2,695m (2¾ miles) from the River Mersey and 1,259m (¾ mile) from the River Weaver. The tidestone has a close relationship with a later stone recording a flood event in 1862, which is situated approximately 12.5m to the south-west.

Details

Tidestone, early C19, erected to mark the limit of an extreme high tide in 1802.

MATERIALS: red sandstone.

DESCRIPTION: a headstone-shaped sandstone pillar, which stands about 30cm above the ground surface, with its base buried in the ground. It has a rectangular section, segmental head, and chamfered rear edges. The front faces to the north-east and has an ashlar surface inscribed: THE TIDE / CAME TO / THIS STONE / JANUARY / 21, 1802. The rear and the sides of the stone are blank.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 436493
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Ormerod, G, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, (1819), 32, Vol II

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.