Monument record 2327/1 - The Nunnery (aka Slipton Lodge)

Earthworks of a moat, possibly of 12th-13th century date, and alleged site of a nunnery. There is no evidence in support of the tradition that a nunnery was located here, and the site is more probably that of the medieval park-keeper's house. It had already been abandoned by the 18th century

{1} The moat now known as The Nunnery forms part of the south west corner of the park and may either be a park keepers lodge or perhaps more likely a stock enclosure.

{2}{3} Moated site known as The Nunnery appears to be a deer enclosure and its west and south banks form the corner of Drayton Park. It is along this side that a late C15th lord of Drayton, Sir Thomas Cheyne, was accused of shooting at the king's deer in Brigstock Little Park.
Kettering Grammar School made a survey of the moated earthwork. The site is roughly wedge-shaped and consists of a bank enclosed by a ditch. The northern bank is 355ft from east to west. The bank at the wide end of the enclosure is 210ft north to south and the southern bank is 335ft from east to west. At the funnelled end is a causewayed entrance. The moat is embanked on both sides on the north side and clearly meant to hold water, sonce the eastern end is flooded. There is a slight bank and ditch 60ft from the west end which may be the corner of the King's Little Park at Brigstock. The moat seems to be a stock enclosure rather than a homestead moat, and in size and positioning is comparable to the moat at Higham Park.

{4} The function of the enclosure was discussed: if not a lodge, stock enclosure or garden feature, one possibility is that it served as a fishpond. Possibly with a warren in the banks. The westernmost bank might be interpreted as a dam. Ridge and furrow in the base of the site could be interpreted as part of seasonal management rather than later expansion over a deserted site. Site condition notes: generally in good condition although cattle and badgers causing damage.

{5} The surface of the island is very irregular;

{8} Earthworks of a moat, just within the deer park and near its south-west corner, occupies the bottom of a small shallow valley at 250ft above OD. No evidence that a nunnery was located here, more likely to have been a medieval park-keeper's house. Already abandoned by the 18th century.

It forms a roughly trapezoidal-shaped enclosure with an interior of basin form resulting from the original shape of the valley bottom. The ditch, now dry, is 2m deep and 12m wide with an inner bank 5m wide and 1.5m high. On the east side it had been widened and dammed to provide a pond, now filled in. There is a slight outer bank on the north side and a larger one on the west and southern sides. The latter is the boundary bank of the deer park, which can be traced further north and south-east. There is neither a clearly-defined original entrance nor any trace of interior buildings. The traditional name of the site is Money Holes.

{11} Survey of the moated earthwork. The site is roughly wedge-shaped and consists of a bank enclosed by a ditch. The moated site is in turn enclosed by the linear park pale of Old Drayton Park. The moat may be a stock enclosure rather than a homestead moat.

{12} At a place called Moneyholes in Sudborough Parish where there are large earthworks and ponds, is the traditional site of a monastery, but there is no evidence to support it. The owner of Slipton Lodge Farm stated that field parcel no 100 (wherein is the published earthwork) has the name "Moneyholes".

The work is a strong moat situated in a secluded position. The surface of the island is much broken, indicative of buried foundations, but no masonry can be seen. The type of construction suggests a 12c/13c. Date and the nunnery tradition might be correct though there is no documentary evidence to support the assumption. (The site is not mentioned by Knowles & Hadcock).

{13} There are no "ponds" identifiable in the area that would be associated with the original work. Several field banks are adjacent, (one of which has been scheduled - See Misc Inf) all of which appear to be early modern. See anotated 1:2500 revision.

{14} (SP 950812). Fig. 4(d).

<1> STEANE J.M., 1975, The Medieval Parks of Northamptonshire, p.221-223 (checked) (Article). SNN37713.

<2> Brown A.E. (Editor), 1974, Archaeology In Northamptonshire 1973, p.110 (checked) (Article). SNN9109.

<3> STEANE J., 1974, Survey Report: Some Medieval Parks in Northamptonshire, p.25 (checked) (Newsletter). SNN37717.

<4> Cadman, G., 2005, Lowick, Slipton Lodge Moated Site, (unchecked) (Note). SNN106998.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP98SE1 (Index). SNN443.

<7> Rowley R.T.; Fowler W.J. (Editors), 1974, South Midlands Archaeology: CBA Group 9 Newsletter (4), 4/26 (Newsletter). SNN17341.

<8> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 63/Site 5 (fig72, 33; pl 10, 11) (Series). SNN77379.

<9> KETTERING GRAMMAR SCHOOL, UNPUBLISHED PLANS (Uncertain). SNN47479.

<10> English Heritage, 1992, English Heritage Scheduling Notification (Report). SNN47128.

<11> Aberg, A (Ed), 1976, Moated Sites Research Group Report 3, p. 10-11 & plan (Monograph). SNN66232.

<12> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire- The Borough of Northampton, p. 245 (Series). SNN100370.

<13> Colquhoun, FD, 1969, Field investigators comments, F1 FDC 2-OCT-69 (Notes). SNN112950.

<14> 1978, CBA RESEARCH REPORT, p. 10 (Series). SNN17559.

<15> Historic England, Slipton Lodge: Photographs (Archive). SNN115166.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 7:22PM