Post-medieval drainage ponds at Hostage Farm (EHER 6936)

A possible moat at Hostage Farm. A 1975 field visit confirmed the site to be drainage ponds.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Mentioned in 1390 as 'Hostageslond', in 1461, 1464 as 'canterie de Ostages, Ostagis', in 1548 as 'messuage called (le) Ostage', in 1560-67 as 'le Hostage', in 1567 as 'le Hostage in Sibell Hedyngham anglice the Chauntry in Syble Hedingham'. According to Reaney name derives from the family of Robert 'Ostage' (1264). <1> March 1975. Field visit. Two rectangular waterfilled ponds form a right angle north-east of the farmhouse. They are cut into sloping ground, but it would be impossible to form a complete moated enclosure at a single water level. According to the farmer the ponds were probably dug for drainage or cattle, and they are not known locally as a moat. The house is not outstanding. <2> <3> 1978. Field visit. Incomplete, rectangular. No enclosure banks. Moat is 22m wide x 2-3m deep to the water. The hillside slopes to the north-east and north-west. It is just possible that a ditch could have run behind the house on the south-west, but very unlikely that it enclosed the south-east side. <4> Sketch plan and section, on back MSRG card and SMR sheet, from OS 25" and site visit. <5> - <9> Area = 0.15 See also: <10> <11>