Medieval moat, Mawden Hall (EHER 5689)

Rectangular medieval to post-medieval homestead moat.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. Homestead moat <1> Site visit, 1962 Homestead moat at Mowden Hall, waterfilled and in excellent condition. It is rectangular in plan, measuring 80m north west-south east x 70m north east-south west. The north arm is missing, a slight depression in the ground probably marks part of its course near the north west corner. No traces of a building within the enclosed area (the present building is 19th century). Published survey (25" 1922) revised. <2> <3> <4> Manorial site. Earliest documentary reference dates from the reign of Edward I <5> <6> <7> Mentioned in 1276, 1304 and 1314 as 'Mokelinton(e)', 1315 as 'Mokenlyngton', 1337, 1374 and 1376 as 'Mokelyngton(e), 1402 as 'Mokeltonhull', in Elizabethan times as 'Mowlton', numerous other spellings and mentions. As early as the beginning of the 15th century, and certainly throughout the 16th century, the place name regularly has the suffix `Hall' associated with it, evidently indicating the continuing presence of a substantial residence. <8> Single, rectangular moat <9> Sketch plan on back of MSRG card <10> Field survey, 1975 Field report by <4> is correct. Cultivation of the kitchen garden at TL 77990999 has exposed a dense scatter of Medieval tile indicating the former house site. Published survey (25"0 revised). <11> Field survey, 1987 The moat at Mowden Hall Farm lies on the N crest of the Chelmer Valley, immediately above a small tributary valley draining SE to the river. Three arms of the moat survive and are water-filled; farm buildings have encroached over the presumed line of the N arm, of which no trace now survives. The N end of the E arm is being infilled by tipping. Although the moat island is unoccupied and the majority covered by trees and scrub, former cultivation has exposed foundations there <12>. A broad green way approaching up the valley side is preserved in the pasture field immediately S of the moat, veering away to pass by the SE corner. In the pasture field E of the moat is a long E-W scarp which may mark the continuation of this road, and it seems likely that this is the pre-enclosure line of the present road, now re-routed further to the W and passing to the N of the moat as Mowden Hall Lane. Thus the S and E arms would have been those most visible to travellers along the old road, and it may not be an unrelated fact that these two are considerably wider the W arm. The N arm may therefore have been less substantial than the other arms. The remains of an old tumbledown footbridge still crosses the E arm at the point shown on the 1975 survey, and, taken in conjunction with the approach of the road from the E, this may preserve the site of the original access to the island. Being on the crest of the valley, considerable damming was essential to keep the moat wet. This is visible as a massive terrace some 25m wide along the S side of the moat, although it may have been intended as a garden feature when first built. A platform at the E end is probably modern. There are hints that the damming was continued around both the W and E arms, but on a much reduced scale. Other earthworks in the field S of the moat may possibly be garden remains, but if so they have been heavily mutilated by modern field drains. At the bottom, next to the stream, are the vestiges of a fishpond, with another better-preserved example lying in the neighbourhood field. These undoubtedly should be contemporary with the main period of occupation of the moat. Narrow ridge and furrow survives in the pasture field E of the moat. Moat surveyed at 1:2500 (see illustration card). <13> The manor of Mokelington (Mowden) was held in the 14th century entry by Roger de Huntingfield and his successors as mesne lands, and a grant of free warren is recorded in 1331. capital messuage directly referred to in 1314 is probably represented by the moated site. <14> [Centred TL 77961001] Moat [G.T.]. <15>