Mid 16th century moat and fishponds at Great Brockholds, Radwinter (EHER 1440)

To the rear of the house is a sub rectangular homestead moat measuring approximately 82 metres transversely. When visited in 1978, it was found to be water filled. A modern causeway on the south-east arm and a footbridge across the north-east give access to the island. Outside the south-east angle is a fishpond, once connected to the moat by a ditch.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Moat south-west of Brockhold's Farm, rectangular with some traces of foundations on the island (the house is mid 16th century). <1> <2> OS 1950 said island was deep in nettles so could not check on foundations. <3> Incomplete, rectangular. Manorial. Enclosure raised 1m to north-west, "there is a fall of 1.5m across the site from south west to north east where the bank has been artificially raised (by the house which is situated in the moated area) to retain the water". External enclosure banks on north-east and south-west. Moat is 7-9m wide, 2m deep on the south west, 0.25m on the north east, moat is wet. <4> Sketch plan of moat on back of MSRG card. <5> Behind the house, strong subrectangular moat is 84m north-east to south-west by 82m. Ditch is waterfilled, averages 13m wide, south-west arm is 3.1m deep and has an outer bank 1.3m high. Remaining ditches average 1m deep, there is no evidence for occupation on the island. Access by a modern causeway on south east arm, footbridge on north-east. Outside north angle is a rectangular fish pond measuring 50m north-west to south-east by 16m. <6> in <2> Brockhold's 'olim' Roosis 'le Roos Magna' 1373, Roos 1419, 1437, 'Roos alias Brokholes' 1433, 1550. Name is manorial in origin. Manor held by Rood family of Great Sampford. "They were descended from Robert de Roos, Lord of Helmsley Castle". Manor, with Asheldham Manor, came to Geoffrey 'Brokhole' by marriage in 1419. <7> The moated site is square and measures 84m north-east to north-west. The arms are between 3m and 15m wide, and are partly water-filled. There is a retaining bank 1m wide and 1m high along the west arm, and another between 1m and 6m wide and about 1.5m high along the south-west arm. There is a modern causeway 3m wide across the south-east arm and a footbridge across the north-east arm. The island has been partly levelled off and rises slightly towards the west and south angles. A fishpond lies 10m south-east of the moat and measures 50m north-west to south-east by 15m north-east to south-west and is water-filled by seepage. A drainage channel once led from the moat to the pond. <8> Aerial photographs: <9> <10> Moat (NR). <11> January 1978. Field survey. To the rear of the house and cut into a gently north east facing slope is a strong sub-rectangular homestead moat measuring overall 84.0 north-east to south-west by 82.0m transversely. The ditch is water-filled by seepage and averages 13.0 m wide. The north-east arm which has recently been narrowed by some 4.0 m is only 1.0 m deep but the south-west is 3.1 m and has an outer bank 1.3 m high. A modern causeway on the south-east arm, and a footbridge across the northeast, give access to the island which has been partly levelled off and rises slightly at the west and south angles. It has been an ornamental garden, but is now under grass and mature trees. Outside the south-east angle is a fishpond once connected to the moat by a ditch. It measures overall 50.0 m north-west by south-east by 16.0 m transversely and is water-filled by seepage. Published 25" survey (1921) revised. <12>