Medieval moat and fishpond at Chiswick Hall, Chrishall (EHER 3885)

The monument includes a moated site, orientated north-east to south-west, and two fishponds situated on the crest of a hill 500m south of Chrishall.

Chiswick Hall, moat and fishponds. <1> Moat filled in at south-west angle. Fishpond in south west of the moat. <2> <3> From OS 6' map there appears to be remains of a pond or part of another moat to the north-west of the main moat. <4> Incomplete, rectangular moat, 9m wide at the rear, 7m wide elsewhere, 1-1.5m deep to the water. Flat enclosure, wet by house only. Pond to the north has been ploughed out. <5> Sketch plan on back MSRG card. <6> 1997. Aerial photography. <7> June 1998. Trial trenching. In June 1998 three trenches were excavated within the moated site of Chiswick Hall, Chrishall, Essex. A medieval wall footing of mortared flint and chalk was revealed in Trench 1. It lay within a wide shallow foundation trench which cut the natural boulder clay. In Trench 2 a very small quantity of struck flint and animal bone was recovered from the subsoil in association with modern brick and tile debris. The natural clay was located at a very shallow depth over the site. It was generally level, but sloped downwards to the south east within Trenches 2 and 3, possibly indicating an earlier line of the moat. <8> Area = 0.08 February 1999. Watching brief. In February 1999, a watching brief was undertaken during groundworks associated with the construction of a link building between the main house and an outbuilding. A wall footing of mortared flint and chalk was revealed in one of the foundation trenches. Its alignment compares to the wall footing revealed during an archaeological evaluation (<8>) and is likely a continuation of the same structure. <9> 2007. Watching brief. In 2007 archaeological monitoring and recording in advance of the construction of a swimming pool to the north-east of Chiswick Hall and its surrounding moat revealed only modern finds and features. These comprised a modern rubbish pit and two modern flower beds. <10> See also: <11> NRHE data transfer: The monument includes a moated site, orientated north-east to south-west, and two fishponds situated on the crest of a hill 500m south of Chrishall. <12>