Possible medieval to post-medieval moat at Little Canfield Hall (EHER 4592)

Fragmentary remains of moat west of Little Canfield Hall.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Moat (NR). <1> Fragmentary remains of moat west of Little Canfield Hall. Not listed by the RCHM. The slight remains of the west arm of the moat have been further reduced. No traces to show the former extent of the moat. <2> Barn 50m south-west of the hall is late 14th century, timber-framed, and weatherboarded. Aisled, 5 large bays long with a crown post roof. <3> May 1975. Field visit. There is insufficient ground evidence for this shallow (about 0.6m deep) grassed over depression to be classified as a moat. Extending from TL 58472198 as a moat. Extending from TL 58472198 to TL 58502185, it averages about 12.0m width, and does not appear to have turned to form an enclosure. The tithe map of 1842 shows a waterfilled elongated pond only. It is not listed by RCHM or DOE. Published survey (25") correct. <4> 2011 and 2014. Watching briefs. The watching brief encompassed monitoring of machine excavated footing trenches and observation of the exposed topsoil surface of a building plot and surfaces of spoil heaps. Although a small number of features were recorded in the footing trenches, no features of archaeological significance were located. Apart from small quantities of finds of post-medieval-modern date associated with the features, only a very small quantity of finds of significant archaeological interest were recovered, all of which were unstratified surface finds or came from existing contractors spoil. A few worked flints, recovered from the north of the site, can be closely dated to the period of the early Neolithic and Neolithic to early Bronze Age. As it stands, the small quantity of flint would indicate only limited activity during this period. Medieval (late 12th-13th century) activity is represented by sherds from a cooking pot. This vessels appears to be associated with activity at the site, although a significant quantity of medieval pottery of similar date was found among recently imported soil on a different area of the site. Several features were noted in the footing trenches. The extant remains of the lower part of a substantial wood post (probably a post-medieval gate post) were located in one trench. Another at the rear of the Hall building exposed a large post-medieval pit and modern structures consisting of an unmortared brick channel and what appeared to be the south edge of an associated unmortared brick box or brick lined square pit. <5> <6> See also: <7> <8>