Monument record 3647/0/1 - Moat at Wythmail

The remains of a moated site to the south-west of Wythmail deserted village. Only the curving, south-west corner of the moat now survives.

{1} A survey was made by Kettering Grammar School of the remains of the moat at Wythemail Park Farm. Only the south-west corner and west side remain. Thick tree cover made survey difficult but there remains a moat with water fill 304ft long and 36ft wide at its widest part, curving round and enclosing an island on the east side of which the present farm buildings stand. There is a causeway facing west, away from the (deserted) village and a further stretch of double-ditched moat 152ft long and the inner one 36ft wide and the outer 16ft wide. A small patch of wood covers the N-W part of the site and immediately to the north of this were found a large number of pieces of green glazed Lyveden type C13-14 ridge tile, indicating the former presence of a considerable building. The eastern side of the moat is filled in and is apparently under modern farm buildings.

{2} South and west of the present farm are the remains of a moat. This now consists only of a curving ditch 100 m. Long and 12 m. Wide, but air photographs taken before destruction, and its depiction on the Enclosure Map of Orlingbury (NRO, 1811), suggest that it was originally a circular or oval ditch surrounding an island with a farm house in the centre. To the north of the moat, between it and the village remains, there appear to have been two rectangular embanked and ditched enclosures separated by a track or hollow-way approaching the moat.

<1> Rowley R.T.; Fowler W.J. (Editors), 1974, Council for British Archaeology: Group 9 Newsletter, 4/26 (Newsletter). SNN17341.

<2> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1979, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 119 (Series). SNN77380.

Record last edited

Oct 27 2016 11:13AM