Probable site of sixteenth century fish ponds, Moulsham Lodge (EHER 5709)

Now destroyed. The site of manorial fish ponds at Moulsham Lodge which are shown on the 1591 John Walker map of the Manor of Moulsham. A geophysical survey and trial trenching in 1997 demonstrated that the fish ponds are not situated in the location shown on the Walker map, and are instead probable located to the immediate west and north-west of Moulsham Lodge, some 150m to the south-east of Walker's location.

'Moulsham Manorial fish ponds (1591)'. 'Col Mus' given as reference - possibly annotated map in Colchester Museum? <1> <2> The '1591' date possibly refers to the Walker map of the Manor of Moulsham. <3> 1997. Geophysical survey and trial trenching. An archaeological evaluation by geophysical survey and trial trenching at Moulsham Lodge (EHER 31528) demonstrated that the 16th century fish ponds are not situated in the location shown on the John Walker map as no archaeological features or finds were found in the triangle of land between present day Princes Road and Moulsham Chase. It seems more likely that the remains of the three ponds are located to the immediate west and north-west of Moulsham Lodge, some 150m to the south-east of Walker's location. The strongest evidence for this is the sunken garden to the immediate west of the house, which is probably the partly silted-up remains of the southern-most pond. <4>