Description and History of Site:-
Black Coppice is a flattish moorland plateau (200-20m AOD) above a prominent Fletcher Bank Grit scar called Stromstrey Bank which is up to c. 70m high. Across the western part of the moor there are many outcrops of gritstone which have been worked for millstone roughouts. In some places rock which forms the ground surface has been dug down into as shallow delphs again to shape and extract roughouts. 18 roughouts, in various stages of the production cycle, have been logged by me. There is also a workmen's shelter formed by a massive slab, slanting and propped up along the sides; the shelter internally is 600mm wide, 1.1m long and 700mm high at the front. Roughout diameters range from 800mm to 1.6m, thicknesses from 150-300mm. Only one has the eye cut through.

It was clearly a major production site. A record from 1322 may relate to Black Coppice: a survey of the "wood of Horwich" noted millstones to the value of 60s (qv LAN00090).

A further record, from 1523-24, in accounts for the manor and township of Anglezarke, noted that a lead mine and the "delph of millstones" had yielded no profit that year; clearly it was being worked prior to that year.

Further Reading and References:-
Farrer, W. and Brownbill, J. A History of the County of Lancaster, vol. 5, 1911, pp. 6-9; pp. 294-95.

Johnson, D.S. 'Millstone and grindstone production in the Pennines and North-west England. A historical and archaeological survey', Industrial Archaeology Review, 44 (2), 2022, PP. 120-32.

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Key Words :- millstone production sites

Viewing the Site :- Open Access land

Address :- Brinscall, Chorley, Lancashire
Grid Ref :- SD 620 186
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.662495 , Long -2.576534
Local Authority :- Chorley Borough Council
Pre 1974 County :- Lancashire
Site Status :- Site extant - Protected status unknown
Site Condition :- Earthworks only
Site Dates :- unknown - unknown
Record Date :- 9 December 2022

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © David Johnson