Site of medieval homestead moat, now Horseham Hall, Helions Bumpstead (EHER 1597)
Please read our guidance about the use of Essex Historic Environment Record data.
Summary
Site of a medieval homestead moat, which was has since been infilled. A survey of 1978 revealed a system of hollow ways and ditches which may indicate the existence of an external settlement.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TL 6623 4341 (129m by 127m) |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | HELIONS BUMPSTEAD, BRAINTREE, ESSEX |
Type and Period
- MANOR (Late 11th century to Mid 16th century - 1086 AD to 1539 AD)
- BEEHIVE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- HOLLOW WAY (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
- ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
- DESERTED SETTLEMENT? (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
- DITCH (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
Description
Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import:
Homestead moat at Horseham Hall. <1>
OS field officer was unable to assess whether the present house contained remains of former manor house, this may have been associated with the moat. <2>
Moat no longer extant by 1966. <3>
1978. Field survey.
1978 survey by Haverhill and District Archaeological Group "revealed extensive hollow ways and ditches southeast of the now infilled main moat, this is a feature of sites having adjacent old pasture and...may indicate the former presence of external settlement to the main site".
Manorial status, entrance by a causeway. Water supply from surface water, moat rectangular. Internal enclosure banks, 0.5m high. Moat 10m wide, 1m deep. Channels and banked enclosures appended. Isolated from the village. No building. <4> <5>
Domesday Manor ('Ersham'), as Hersham 1221, Horsham Hall 1558, Hersham Hall 1768. Possibly `the ham of the Her' or possibly a lost OE `herse' denoting a hill. <6> <7>
Moat filled in 1963. Bank and ditch system south and east of the moat. <8>
Sketch plan in sources 9 and on back of source 8. <9>
Photos with Haverhill and District Archaeological Group. <10>
Domesday references, one mentions beehives. <11>
Area = 0.79
The moat was destroyed in 1959. <12>
See also: <13> <14>
Sources
- <1> SEX701 Monograph: RCHME. 1916. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex, Volume I, North-West. p.157.
- <2> SEX52658 RECORD SHEET/FORM: Ordnance Survey. 1950-1990. OS cards. TL64SE02, 1950.
- <3> SEX52658 RECORD SHEET/FORM: Ordnance Survey. 1950-1990. OS cards. TL64SE04, 1966.
- <4> SEX5736 Article in serial: Charge, B.B.. 1984. A Survey of Moated Sites Within the Area of Interest of the Haverhill and District Archaeological Group. Journal of the Haverhill and District Archaeological Group. 3. v.3, no.3, p.139,141,150.
- <5> SEX5209 DESC TEXT: Priddy, D.A.. 1984. SMR.
- <6> SEX10131 Bibliographic reference: Reaney, P.H.. 1935. The Place-Names of Essex. p.509-510.
- <7> SEX287 Monograph: Morant, P.. 1768. The History and Antiquities of the County of Essex.
- <8> SEX5768 DESC TEXT: Pisarski, H.G.. 1978. TL64-005.
- <9> SEX5769 Map: Pisarski, H.G.?. unknown. TL64-005.
- <10> SEX5770 Photograph: Haverhill and District Archaeol Group. unknown. PHOTO Haverhill and District Archaeol Group Archives.
- <11> SEX1130 Bibliographic reference: Rumble, A.. 1983. Domesday Book - 32, Essex. 13,2. 35,7. 90, 52 and 75.
- <12> SEX19818 Serial: Essex Archaeological Society. 1984-1985. Essex Archaeology and History, Series 3, Volume 16. 3(16). p 132.
- <13> SEX35033 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1950-1969. Ordnance Survey 1:10560 (6 inch) Post War National Grid. 1960.
- <14> SEX60991 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1945-present. Ordnance Survey 1:2500 Post War National Grid (5th Epoch). 1:2500.
Related Events (1)
Other References
- Old SMR Number: TL64-005
- NRHE identifier: 376999
- National Monuments Record: TL 64 SE 4