The following is an incomplete list of information extracted following a visit to the West Yorkshire Archaeological Service offices in Wakefield. (Acknowledgement Mr I Sanderson WY Archaeology Dept.)
•There is a conjectured route of a roman road crossing Park Lane from Purston Jaglin to Rothwell Haigh. The presence of quarries alongside add to this theory.
•Methley Manor was held in Frankelmoign by the Hospitall of St. Nicholas, Pontefract. The Manor House occupying the south side of Mickletown until the beginning of the 15th century.
•Sir Robt. Waterton built a new manor house and deer park to the west of the church.
•Geophysical survey of 1991 revealed a ring ditch interpreted as a funery site to the west of Methley church.
• Other trackways and land divisions most likely relate to late pre-historic, Romano/British activity.
• Artefactual evidence consists mainly of flints recovered in the vicinity of Willow Grove farm (near to the confluence).
•Roman artefacts were found south of Boat Lane – the sand & gravel quarry excavations produced 265 shards of roman potterymostly 4th century. An earlier excavation found shards of Samian Ware suggesting 1-2nd century. Two 3rd cent. coins were also recovered from this area. Isolated finds include a small glass vessel in the vicinity of Savile Road.
•Clumpcliffe is documented at 1380ad, the present buildings are 17th century or possible earlier farmhouse. A Gazebo Grade II listed structure dated 1708 on the site has now collapsed.
•Whitecross Field previously known as Westfield was renamed following the plague of 1629/32. However Whitecrosse is documented in records of 1373.
St Oswalds Church –
Saxon Foundations. Formerly an aisleless church with a west chamber which had thicker walls than the nave and was half a square in plan.
The north half of a cross wall running beneath the present nave just west of the north door can be uncovered by trapdoor revealing a wall of some 1.5m thickness.