Undated earthwork, Chignal Hall (EHER 969)

Unclassified earthwork southwest of Chignall Hall, on a small promontory, in a bend of the River Can. From the surviving features the earthworks appear to be the remains of a leet and not a defensive work.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import. Earthwork-river terrace. <1> Earthwork south west of Chignall Hall. On small promontory in bend of River Can, south west angle of entrenched site. It comprises of, on the south, a double bank with dry ditch between, on west is a steep scarp with a wet ditch at the bottom. The original entrance was probably on west side. <2> Site visit, 1951 The earthworks have been mutilated and made unintelligible. Tracks have been cut into bank on west side. On south is a wide, dry ditch roughly 90m long. From west side of this, rounding curve of bank, is what seems to be approximately 110m of double bank. Then, on west side, is a steep bank about 2.2m high with wet ditch at the bottom. Causeway cutting ditch is probably an original entrance. Running east from the causeway for about 110m to boundary of an orchard is a shallow ditch. Bank and dry ditch continue for approximately 140m on west earthwork to north and east of Chignall Hall. <3> Surveyed at 1:2,500. <4> Field survey, 1976 The earthwork is visible as a scarp set at the base of the River Can flood terrace. It comprises of a main scarp averaging 2m high with low outside bank 1m high, 4m away from base of scarp. Only fragmentary remains of outer bank. Elsewhere much of slope and inner ditch has been destroyed by ploughing. From surviving features earthworks appear to be remains of a leet and not a defensive work. <5> <6> Tracing of plan from OS is in SMR. <7> Site Assessment = Much destroyed and mutilated by ploughing. <3> <4> in <1>