Monument record 2128/2 - Place House medieval moat and fishponds

A small rectangular moated site, the location of the single manor of the village. Place House, located on the moat platform, retains some parts of a medieval building.

{1} Moat and fishponds (SP 847606) lie in the bottom of a steep-sided valley draining NE to the R. Nene, on gravel and clay at 53 m. above OD. They are situated immediately to the W of the village Whiston,
surrounding Place House. Though local tradition states that the site was once owned by King John, there can be little doubt that it is the moated house of the single medieval manor of the village, held by the
Abbey of Ramsey from the late C10th until 1554. A series of under-tenants held Whiston from Ramsey throughout the medieval period and one of these presumably constructed the moat and fishponds.
The remains, though much overgrown and mutilated consist of a small rectangular moated site.
On the N side the ditch has been filled in, but elsewhere it remains complete, up to 2 m. deep. The water which filled the ditch was drawn from the existing stream, along a broad ditch, which enters the moat
at its W corner. After passing through the moat this water apparently ran out via the N corner into a large L-shaped pond. The water was held there by a massive dam or retaining bank up to 2 m. high which forms the NW and NE sides of the pond but which now has a large gap inthe N corner N of the moat, standing on a roughly rectangular platform above the pond, is the existing Place House. This is a much altered structure which still incorporates some parts of a medieval building of the C14th or earlier. This building perhaps represents a new structure after the original moated house was abandoned and thus the actual construction of the moat would date from the late C12th or early C13th when the manor house was held by the de Whiston family. To the S of the main part of the site is an overgrown depression, now partly filled in. This may be another fishpond.

{2} Inclosed lordship. House "now a poor cottage but formerly a considerable mansion". Thomas Catesby died 1699 was Lord of the Manor now held by Margaret, his wife.

{3} Place House, a detached farmhouse on the west side of the village, with remains of a moat, incorporates some portions of a medieval building, two buttresses of which are attached to one of the angles of the present house, which is a plain rectangular building of two stories with mullioned windows and thatched roof. There is a local tradition that the original house was a seat of King John.

{4} Plan. Single medieval manor at Whiston. It was held by Ramsey Abbey from the late C10th until 1554. There were a series of undertenants.

{6} Earthwork of possible medieval fishpond, now filled in. Owned by the Manor. Plan.

{7} Site name: Place House. Medieval moated site and associated fishpond. The moat island is 35m square, and surrounded on three sides by a 2m deep ditch X 8-10m wide. This is filled in on one side and the moat island is overgrown. There is a large L-shaped fishpond to the north-west, which is 110m long, with banks up to 2m high. An inlet channel feeds the pond and moat. Plan.

[8} Place House is of stone, with thatched roof and stone mullioned windows, considerably restored. The earliest surviving fabric is 15th - 16th cent. Adjacent earthworks consist of a partial, non-defensive moat and fishpond complex. Published 25" survey and current field document revised.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.19-20 Site 8 (checked) (Series). SNN77380.

<2> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, p.388 (unchecked) (Book). SNN77325.

<3> Salzman L.F.(ed), 1937, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.288-89 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100371.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP86SW9 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Whellan, 1874, History, Topography & Directory of Northamptonshire, p.283 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1002.

<6> Taylor P., 1992, Fishponds Report 1992 (Report). SNN1339.

<7> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 1986, DOE Scheduled Ancient Monuments: Northamptonshire (Parts 5-8) (Schedule). SNN104787.

<8> Royal Air Force, Vertical Aerial Photography, AP (RAF VAP CPE/UK/1926, 4009; /2546, 4129-30) (Photographs). SNN104890.

<8> Harper, F R, 1966, Field Investigators Comments, F1 FRH 14-FEB-66 (Note). SNN110348.

<9> Aerial Photograph, AP (FSL 6565, 1866) (Photographs). SNN112974.

Record last edited

Feb 10 2025 8:15PM