Site of incomplete Medieval moat, Phillow's Farm (EHER 5585)

Incomplete Medieval moat, only the west arm and parts of the north and south arms survive.

Phillow's Farm (17th century), homestead moat, incomplete. Condition of house - good, much altered. <1> <2> Field survey, 1962 Phillow's Farm is a 17th century farmhouse of little architectural interest, having been heavily restored and partly rebuilt. Of the small rectangular moat which surrounded it, only the west arm and parts of the north and south arms survive. They have been drained and are being filled in by rubbish tipping at the north end. Published survey (OS 25", 1922) revised. <3> <4> Field survey, 1976 The house is as described above; it is not outstanding. The north arm has been filled by tipping, but otherwise the moat is as described by <4>. Published 25" survey revised. <5> <6> Probably to be associated with the family of John, William and Robert, 'Vis, Vys de Lu', 'Vydelu, Videlou, -leu, -wolf-face' (1248, 1304-14, 1315). Also mentioned as 'Midelmade alias Videlowes alias Videlewis alias Videluce' 1493 <7> Incomplete, rectangular <8> Sketch plan on back of MSRG card <9> Domesday Book manor <2> <10> OS plan card with description card of 1962 but not card of 1976 <11> Field survey, 1987 The moat is situated on a very gentle slope on the S side of the Chelmer valley. It is in a poor state of preservation, with only stretches of the W and S arms and the NW angle surviving. The SW angle has been infilled since the last revision, and a swimming pool is in the course of construction in the S arm, largely destroying the inner edge of the moat but which survives in places to a height of 0.9m; the outer edge here is probably mostly modern formed by the track that runs along its top. The N half of the W arm and the 'kink' in the N arm are now occupied by two interconnected ornamental ponds. The outer scarp of the W arm was a maximum of 1.1m above water level at the time of survey. Resurveyed at 1:2500 (see illustration card). Survey transferred to MSD. <12> Phillow's Farm [TI] [Moat shown but not described]. <13>