Cropmarks of possible medieval to post-medieval moat, west of Little Barfield Hall (EHER 1566)

Remains of a ditched enclosure: it has been suggested that this is a moat. Part of the feature was destroyed by a reservoir.

Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import: Moated site-extensively damaged 1975-1976 when local landowner made a reservoir. Much fragmented hard standing dumped on site, where tracked earthmoving machinery turned. East side of moat filled in, moat still survives to the south and west. Pottery and possible painted wall plaster reportedly found on the site. <1> <2> January 1978. Field visit. OS air photographs <3>, taken October 1974 show the south arm as an east - west rectangular pond 90.0m by 25.0m, and the east and west arms as narrow ditches 50.0m by about 5.0m. A deeply cut stream would have formed the north arm but is now separate. The enclosed island was arable. Now the south arm has been recut, the east arm filled and the island surface apparently scraped, leaving a large spoil mound along its south side. No pottery or building debris could be seen. No water feature is shown on the Tithe Map <4>, only a rectangular wood named Osier Ground. This suggests a damp site and the existing much altered remains may well be of a ditched enclosure rather than a moat. <5> <6> See: <7>