Earthwork remains of 12th century moat and ringwork enclosure, and probable site of 12th century manor or castle, Blunts Hall (EHER 8192)

Moated site with rampart, dated by excavations to 1135-1150. Thought to be an adulterine castle of 1141.

Homestead moat with strong inner rampart. <1> Subrectangular moated feature, banked, of which the north arm, 40m of the east arm, and 45m of the west arm survive. The moat is dry, with an average depth of 1.5m and an average width of 8m. The central area is raised and has an inner rampart on the west and south sides. Maximum height of a mound at the SE corner is 3m, measured internally, and it is about 6m above the ditch bottom (now ground level) externally. The island is cultivated as a garden but no surface building debris or foundations were encountered. A mutilation halfway along the east bank has destroyed what may have once been the original entrance. There is a slight bank in the field called Castle Baileys, to the west (see EHER 8193). Copy of OS plan card in EHER. <2> 'The Blunts Hall earthwork falls into one of the more elaborate categories of moat: that of a moat with prominent internal bank and raised internal platform. This type derives from the ring-work tradition of small fortified sites and probably here representing the defending of manorial buildings.' <3> Domesday Manor. <4> See aerial photographs <5> <6>. See also <7> <8>. Scheduled Ancient Monument. Moat is partly wet. The interior is higher than the exterior. Strong inner rampart terminates in a substantial mound at the SE corner 2.5m high, 5m approx diameter. <9> <10> 1958. Trial trenching. Three trial trenches were dug in 1958 to assess whether this was the site of the Edward the Elder's burh. This moated site is distinguished from other Essex moat's by its prominent internal bank. The moat is not complete - it has silted on two sides. The bank has been slighted on the other two. The first trench cut through the highest part of the bank on the west side. The second was abandoned after hitting waterlogged clay impregnated with dumped oil waste. The third trench aimed to find internal structures. Trench I disclosed the structure of the bank and the old ground surface for half its length. Trench III uncovered finds below the ploughsoil but no features other than a trench with fire-reddened sides and choked with charcoal. Too large for a domestic hearth, it may have been a clamp kiln. Dating is dependent on the pottery recovered, giving a suggested occupation period of 1050-1200. The Anarchy provides a likely historical background, 1135-1150. Documentary evidence provides clues as to ownership but no certainties. Two theories are suggested in this source. Firstly, that the earthwork was built by William de Tregoz whose family held the greater part of the manor of Blunts in 1135. Alternatively, Geoffrey de Mandeville was the builder. The honour of the manor and William's knights fees were granted to Geoffrey in 1141. It is also suggested that traces of a low bank following the curve of the road east of the modern farm may represent the later medieval site. The moated site was unoccupied after around 1200. <11> May 2003. Watching brief. The edge of the moat and the moat platform were uncovered during a watching brief. The backfill of the moat was probably 19th century, perhaps contempory with the construction of Blunts Hall Cottages, while the moat platform yielded no datable material. The platform was constructed from chalky clay, probably sourced from the digging of the moat. The amount of 20th century disturbance suggests that any evidence of medieval entranceway structures may have been removed. <12> Area = 0.21 Site Management: Planning consent refused for game warden's bungalow and garage to be used with game and wild fowl garm on land at Blunts Hall, Witham. <7> Site Assessment: Mostly rough grass, some vegetable garden; this in 1974. In 1982 the interior was rough grass and allotments, some with shallow rotavation. Trench dug in south bank 4m x 0.5 x 0.5m deep. Several dead trees on the site. Moat stagnant with nettles and rubbish in some parts. Chicken house in west corner of moat. Whole site has somewhat derelict appearance. <3> An unusual type of moat, and perhaps the best example of its type in the county. <3> NRHE data transfer: TL 807143 (Moat) (NR). <13> A square moated site with a strong inner rampart at Blunt's Hall (of 18th century date with modern additions grade 2, see EHER 28876), was excavated in 1958 (see plan from <11>). The internal bank measured approximately 50 yards long on each side, with a 20 feet interval between bank top and ditch bottom. On two sides it had been slighted inwards and the moat had silted up on the other two. At the south east corner the bank rose into a circular tump with a level top some twelve feet across, a little higher than the bank. Excavation trenches yielded occupation debris, including a hearth and a trench (possibly a clamp kiln), its sides very burn and choked with charcoal. These finds, coupled with its manorial history, date the site to 1135-1150, after which it remained unoccupied. As a field adjoining it is called Castle Baileys (TL 807 142) (<14>), the site is thought to be the adulterine castle built by Geoffrey de Mandeville in 1141, Traces of another low bank following the curve of the road, to the east of the modern farm, may represent the later Medieval site. <1> <15> September 1976. Field survey. North-west of the house, situated on high ground, are the remains of a strong subrectangular moat; now dry. It measures overall 84.0m north-south by 76.0m transversely. The south arm, SW and SE angles have been filled but the remainder of the ditch has an average width of 10.0m. and depth 1.5m. Access to the island was probably by a badly mutilated causeway in the centre of the east arm. The island stands 1.2m. above ground level and has a strong inner rampart along the south and west arms standing to a maximum height of 6.0m above the ditch bottom. At the SE angle there is a conical-shaped mound forming part of the rampart but standing 6.8m. above ditch bottom. The island interior is used as vegetable garden bu Blunt's Hall Cottages and shows no evidence of former occupation. The feature east of the farm has been destroyed by modern housing development. Published 1:2500 survey revised. <16>