Monument record 3656/2/1 - Medieval/Post Medieval Moat (Morphed Aerial Archaeology Interpretation)

Earthwork: Non-destructive fieldwork

{1} Earthworks of medieval moat and fortifications of a manor house. A small rectangular island surrounded by a ditch up to 3m deep. There is a causewayed entrance on the west side. The interior has a slightly sunken centre and a rectangular platform in the north east corner. The water was retained in the ditch by a massive external bank or dam - this still stands up to 3m high. Outside the south east corner there is a small, embanked depression, perhaps formerly a pond.

{4} Plan and profile.

{5} Probable site of manor. 35m square island with a ditch 3m deep x 10m wide. The east side is waterlogged. A water channel links the moat to a northern fishpond. The remains of further channels are visible to the west and south. There is a narrow causeway on the west side. A rectangular building platform is visible on the south side of the island.

{8} The moat ditch was clearly denoted in the geophysics survey but no other significant anomalies were detected.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.148/Site 6 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.217 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<4> Rowley R.T.; Fowler W.J. (Editors), 1974, Council for British Archaeology: Group 9 Newsletter, p.26 (checked) (Newsletter). SNN17341.

<5> English Heritage, 1992, English Heritage Scheduling Notification, (part checked) (Report). SNN47128.

<6> Sharman T., 2006, Condition Report on Twenty-Four Northamptonshire County Heritage Sites, (checked) (Report). SNN105591.

<7> Northamptonshire SMR Collection of Aerial Photographs, Used with NMR & CUCAP collections (Photographs). SNN104822.

<8> Masters, P., 1992, Geophysical Investigation of a Moated Site at Walgrave, Northants, (checked) (Report). SNN74182.

Record last edited

Sep 12 2012 8:54AM