Medieval moat and fishpond at site of Clopton Hall (EHER 1233)

The site of Clopton Hall, a medieval house, with remains of a moat and fishpond.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Clopton Hall (NR) (Site of) (NAT) Fishpond (NR). <1> Moat at the site of Clopton Hall. <2> Clopton Hall 'olim' Southall mentioned 1240, 1263, 1283, 1380, 1443, 1534-1536, as Clapton Hall in 1768, 1836. Clopton comes from family of William de Clopton (1345), Southall "vulgarly" from being a mile south of the church. <3> February 1950. Field visit. The island has uneven ground indicating foundations of a house (no reference to the Hall could be found). Island on which hall stood is well preserved and gives a good inner scarp for the moat. Counter scarp is despoiled, is now incorporated in walls of orchard and farmyard with no traces on the north west side where a stream runs. Surface of island is uneven, indicating buried foundations. To north of site is an old rectangular basin at TL 62612062, appears to be an old fish pond, now dry. <4> <5> April 1975. Field survey. The remains of a stirrup-shaped moat, dry, and formerly measuring overall about 70.0m north-east by south-west by about 60.0m transversely, with the ditch averaging about 10.0m wide and about 2.0m deep with steep sides. Situated on the edge of a marsh there is no necessity or trace of an external retaining bank on the north-west side. The north-east part of the ditch has recently been filled in, although the internal scarp is still prominent. The island is grassed over, and as described by <5> no further information was obtained on the hall. The tithe map of 1843 shows no structure on the island. A dry, stream fed, fishpond about 65.0m by about 40.0m lies at TL 62622061. See also TL 62 SW 22. Published survey (moat) (25") revised. Published survey (fishpond) (25") correct. <6> <7> 1977. Field survey. On side of small valley. Sub-rectangular, complete. 18m wide x 1.5m deep. New plantation in arable land. Earlier pond now filled. Dry moat, flat enclosure. Circular (subrectangular) moat formed by cutting oval trench into lip of natural dell dropping about 3.5m on west side of an island. Ditch must always have been dry. Now partially infilled. <8> Tracing from OS plan card is in SMR. <9> Tracing from Stokes' sketch from OS 25" and site visit, plus section, on back SMR sheet and back of MSRG card. <10> <11> Photo. <12> 1993. Scheduling entry. Site measures 70m north-east by south-west x 60m north-west by south-east. The north-west arm was constructed to incorporate a stream which has now dried up. The surface of the island is uneven indicating the presence of buried remains. 20m north of the site is a subrectangular fishpond once connected to the moat by the stream but now dry. It measures 70m north-east by south-west by 32m north-west by south-east and about 1m deep. <13> Cropmark Plot. <14> Area = 0.2 NRHE data transfer: Remains of a moat at Cloptons Farm (Hall), Great Dunmow (TL 626204). The house is of 17th century date, Grade III. <15> <16> April 1975. Field visit. Almost certainly the moat referred to is that associated with the site of Clopton Hall. There is no evidence or real possibility of a moat at the adjacent Clapton Hall Farm, and no information of another farm in the locality called 'Cloptons'. <17>