Post-medieval enclosure or ditches at 'The Elms' (EHER 4298)

Previously considered to be a moat, the ditches are no longer considered to be an antiquity and may be an enclosure.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Moated enclosures - two adjoining each other south-west of Elms House 1500 yards north-north-east of the church; each about 250ft square. Probably cattle enclosures. <1> February 1950. Field survey. Correct as shown on 6" field sheet. Both islands ploughed but no building material to be seen. RCHM's "cattle-enclosure" theory seems possible. Mr Eland, a local historian, has no record of buildings standing on the islands in the past and therefore is satisfied that they are not homestead moats. <2> April 1966. Field survey. Features as described, waterfilled and in fair condition. The 'moats' are nowhere more than 3.0m across at water surface level. A local historian had no record of buildings here and no building material was seen in 1950 after the islands were ploughed. Published 1:2500 survey correct. <3> <4> July 1973. Field survey. Almost certainly these contiguous ditches, mostly water-filled, are the remains of a drainage/stock enclosure system. They average 4.0m wide and 1.5m deep. <5> 1977. Field survey. Each about 250ft square. A pond at the north-east corner. Moat wet on the east only. Dimensions: 3, 4 and 5m wide x 4m deep and 1.5 and 2m wide x 1.5m deep. <6> Photo. <7> Tracing from Stokes' sketch on back of old SMR sheet. <8>