Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1415744
- Date first listed:
- 24-Oct-2013
- List Entry Name:
- The Toolerstone
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Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1415744
- Date first listed:
- 24-Oct-2013
- List Entry Name:
- The Toolerstone
- Location Description:
- South side of Hunt's Lane, approximately 26m to the east of the junction with Weaverham Road, Sandiway, Cheshire
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
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.
Location
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Cuddington
- National Grid Reference:
- SJ6060371419
Summary
Medieval boundary stone marking the north-west boundary of the lands of Vale Royal Abbey where they met with the Delamere Forest. The marker, which is constructed of sandstone, is believed to be roughly in its original location.
Reasons for Designation
The Toolerstone is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Historic interest: it is an important survival of a medieval boundary stone that marked the north-western boundary of the lands of Vale Royal Abbey where they met with the Delamere Forest, and it is believed to be the medieval marker identified in an abbey ledger book dating to 1359.
History
The Toolerstone is believed to be a medieval boundary marker that defined the boundary of the lands of Vale Royal Abbey, Whitegate, Cheshire where they met with the Delamere Forest. The Cistercian abbey was founded in the C13 by Edward I and was dissolved in 1538/9 under Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries.
An abbey ledger book dating to 1359 records the location of a boundary marker: 'from a place where Peytefynsty descends to the commons of Cudyton, to the stone put and ordained there...'. Peytefynsty was an ancient highway that formed the north-western boundary of Vale Royal Abbey and defined the limit of their grazing rights; Hunt's Lane is believed to form part of this route and the Toolerstone is believed to have been one of five known stone markers on the route. The origins of the stone's name remain unknown.
In the C19 the Toolerstone was moved from its original position and re-erected in the grounds of a nearby house known as 'Toolerstone', but in 1930, and using a tithe map of 1838, the stone was returned to its present location on Hunt's Lane.
Details
Medieval boundary stone marking the north-west boundary of the lands of Vale Royal Abbey where they met with the Delamere Forest. The marker, which is constructed of sandstone, is believed to be roughly in its original location.
The Toolerstone is located on a raised bank on the south side of Hunt's Lane (the latter visible as a hollow way) approximately 26m to the east of Weaverham Road. It consists of a square stone that stands approximately 1m tall. The upper part of the stone is heavily worn and incorporates heavily eroded patterning or markings, which appear to possibly be later graffiti. A small arrow has been spray-painted on to the lower part of the stone's north face. The stone is mounted on a concrete plinth, which was introduced when the stone was returned to the site in 1930; the plinth is barely visible due to vegetation and large sandstones placed in front, which act as a low retaining wall.
Sources
Other
R M Bevan, Tracking Down Ancient Highways. Delamere Forest, Peytefynsty & A Roman Road, 2012,
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jul-2026 at 16:48:37.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.