The Chamber in the Forest

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Castle Ditch, Merrick's Hill

In the civil parish of Delamere.
In the historic county of Cheshire (Modern Authority of Cheshire, 1974 county of Cheshire).

In 1337, Edward the Black Prince authorised the construction of a new chamber (ie hunting lodge) to serve as an administrative centre for the royal Forest of Delamere. This was eventually constructed circa 1354. The building was disused as such or demolished by the mid C17 but the locale continued to be known as The Chamber in the Forest until the mid C19. Deputations taken in 1652 to establish the exact site of the Chamber concurred that it had lain 'upon the hill' ie within Castle Ditch hillfort. Varley's excavations of 1935-8 exposed the remains of C14/C15 building, possibly of two storeys, which can still be seen on the surface. The current name Merrick's Hill seems to have been used from the late C17 onwards. Not suggested as a fortified site by any source but as a hunting lodge in a Iron Age Hill fort is similar to some sites which are so suggested. See also Eddisbury Town defences (qv) as this site is suggested as the site of a C9 burghal fort.

This site has been described as a;
Fortified Manor House
Palace.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Masonry footings remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SJ55446922

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 71157

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 837/1/2