Deserted medieval village at Arkesden (EHER 3939)

Village shrinkage and ponds. Also the supposed site of moat.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Shrinkage centred TL483346 to the north-east of the church. It is marked by disturbed ground and ponds (possibly on the spring line), but no pattern of settlement survives. No traces of a moat found. <2> in <1> Five photos in SMR, one seems to show a moat. <3> <4> Incomplete, irregular moat, 5-8m wide, up to 2m deep. Site adjoins north side of the churchyard and is a hummocky meadow sloping south towards the church and east towards a boggy area on its eastern edge. Ditch shown (on plan) west of the road is missing. Narrow ditch east of the road is only 3m wide. Two wider ditches cut deep into the hillside at their western ends and run out with the slope of the ground. Both hold water. There are claypits hereabouts and Stokes 'would have dismissed them as such except that Morant says that the manor was north of the church and that the site suggests foundations. Even so, they do not suggest even a dry moat'. Site Assessment = Existence of a moat here needs checking. <5> <6> Sketch plan on back MSRG card. <7> 1975. Field survey. A possible area of village shrinkage centred TL 483346 to the NE of the church. It is marked by disturbed ground and ponds (possibly on the spring line), but no pattern of settlement survives. No trace of a moat found. <8> Watching brief. 1999. An archaeological watching brief observing the construction of a children's playground in the north-west corner of Millenium Playing Field revealed no archaeological features or finds. <9> Watching brief. 2005. An archaeological watching brief on the construction of a water pipeline in the area of Arkesden church revealed no archaeological features. <10> See also: <11>