Medieval moat at Great Biggins (EHER 1490)

Remains of medieval moat at Great Biggins.

Moat. <1> Moat is traceable but only the north arm is wet. <2> North arm wet and in good condition. East arm is dry and approximately 1-1.5m deep. South arm represented by a longitudinal shallow depression used as an orchard. West arm obliterated. Slopes very well defined, approximately 4ft deep. South side of south arm represented by a bank falling approximately 1.5m from level of field. <3> Moat incomplete, rectangular. Causeway. Broadest at the north west corner, 7m wide x 2.5-0.5m deep. Moat wet by the house. Site levelled, was on a gentle hill. 1968-east and south sides cleared to the original depth of 2.5m, sides at an angle of 55 degrees, they joined the north side in holding water. A gravel seam was found in the south side, it leaked water away so the south side was backfilled, it remains as a depression. Ground slopes from east to west-platform levelled. East and south sides excavated 1968 by owner with supervision of Colchester Museum. No indicative finds. Sketch plans-one shows 1968 clearance-on back of MSRG card. <4> <5> Two photos in EHER, top one shows newly cleared east side. <6> Named `Bigginge' 1501, `Byggyn' 1597. <7> Area = 0.35 NRHE data transfer: Moat (NR). <8> May 1975. Field survey. Great Biggins is as described, but externally modernised and not outstanding. Around the house is the remains of a rectangular homestead moat, measuring overall about 70.0m E-W by about 80.0m transversely. The N part of the moat is waterfilled and of irregular width, and the E arm has recently been re-cut, shaped and now holds water. The W & S arms are largely traceable as landscape depressions, but the scarping confuses the original dimensions. Published survey (25") revised. <9>