Medieval moat, Shellow Hall (EHER 671)

A medieval moated site surrounding Shellow Hall. The moated site incorporates two islands which are separated by an intervening moat arm of the moat ditch. The northern island, the largest of the two, measures 60 metres square and is level with the surrounding ground surface. It is approached by a causeway across the northern arm, of the surrounding moat and provides a platform for the Listed Grade II timber framed house, which dates from the early 17th century. During maintenance work, carried out on the causeway prior to 1988 it was reported that 'old stonework' was uncovered. The southern island is approached from the northern island by a causeway across the dividing arm of the moat. The surrounding moat, is partly water-filled and measures up to 6 metres wide around the southern island increasing to 16 metres in width along the north arm of the northern island. The present Shellow Hall dates from the early 17th century with alterations of mid 17th and early 19th century date. It is timber framed and plastered with a tile roof. The local antiquarian, P Morant, writing in 1769, believed that the moat was the site of the manor of Shellow Bowells, named after the de Bowell family who owned it in the 13th century. Scheduled.

Moat. DMV? <1> <2> Moat surrounds the house. <3> Double, complex, rectangular. <4> <5> Remains of figure of eight moat. <3> DMV-presumably from the isolated position of the church (see TL 60-118) The moated site incorporates two islands which are separated by an intervening arm of the moat ditch. The northern island, the largest of the two measures approximately 60m square and is level with the surrounding ground surface. It is approached by a causeway across the northern arm of the surrounding moat and provides a platform for the 17th century house. During maintenance work, carried out on the causeway prior to 1988, it was reported that 'old stonework' was uncovered. The southern island is roughly rectangular in plan and measures about 66m east-west by a maximum of 42m north-south. The uneven surface of this island is raised about 1m above its surroundings. This island is approached from the northern island by a causeway across the dividing arm of the moat. The local antiquarian, P Morant, writing in 1769, believed that the moat was the site of the manor of Shellow Bowells, named after the de Bowell family who owned it in the 13th century. <6> Site Assessment = Double moat. <4> AP ref <9-10> Information from NRHE Shellow Hall (NR) Moat (NR) <11> Shellow Hall is of early 17th century date with alterations in the 18th century. Grade 2. A moat surrounds the house. <3> <12> Shellow Hall is as described, but much altered and modernised and not now outstanding. See photographs. The surrounding homestead moat measures overall about 70.0m sub-square with waterfilled arms averaging about 7.0m in width. The central portion of the east arm has been filled in. Contiguous to the south arm is a probable secondary enclosure overall about 70.0m east-west by about 45.0m transversely, the waterfilled ditch being circa 4.0m wide. The overgrown interior shows no trace of a structure, and is at a slightly higher level than the moat enclosure. Published survey (25") revised. <13> Access to both islands is afforded by causeways, one from the outside across the moat at the N, and an internal one linking the two platforms; both causeways appear modern. During maintenance work around the moat at the N, 'old stonework' was discovered below the present N causeway (a); the S causeway is narrow, composed of rammed earth and provides pedestrian access only between the islands, the S one of which is heavily overgrown. Some enlargement of the moat NE of the N causeway has taken place recently. Otherwise, the Hall and moat are as described. Current MSD depiction (1:2500) revised. <14> <15> Additional references <16>