Medieval fish ponds, Mowden Hall Farm (EHER 82885)

Two Medieval fishponds probably associated with a moat at Mowden Hall Farm, detailed in EHER 5689.

Information from the NRHE Group centred TL77880986. Two Medieval fish ponds survive under pasture in the valley of a small brook flowing SE into the R Chelmer, immediately S of the moat at Mowden Hall Farm (EHER 5689). The larger of the two, towards the head of the valley, is extremely well preserved It measures some 60m x 22m, and is a minimum of 1m deep. The stream now flows in a straightened bed to the S, and there is no trace of an original feeder channel. The outflow into the lower pond does survive, although probably only in a recut state to facilitate drainage. The lower pond is much reduced by silting and dumping, the E end being particularly badly affected, and the main outfall drain for the Victorian Mowden Hall comes down the E side of the field boundary into its W end. The S limit has been totally destroyed by the stream canalisation and rearrangement of boundaries. The field S of the stream is called Fish Pond Field. <1> Surveyed at 1:2500. (see illustration card with TL70NE68). <2>