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Summary

Sub-rectangular moat by Calderfields Farm with an area of around 1.2ha. Documentary evidence suggests that the moat is of mid-13th century date but that there may have been an earlier building on the site. Aerial photographs show two arms of outer enclosure extending to east of moat (HER13583).

Monument Type(s):

• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Description

Sub-rectangular moat by Calderfields Farm with an internal area around 0.12ha. Large retaining bank on outside of north and west sides. Moat fed by stream which enters at north and leaves from south west. (1) Aerial photographs show two arms of outer enclosure extending to east of moat (HER13583) and area of ridge and furrow (13582).
According to the Rushall MS, written in the 15th century, Sir Hugh de Boweles and his wife Alice gave the manor of Caldewalle to their son William and Sir Hugh 'bilte and repairide a mansion at Caldewalle and made a moot abowte seyd mansion." William lived there until the deaths of his parents, after which he moved to Rushall (possibly around 1280). (2)(3) Sir Hugh died before 1271-2. (4) Accordingly the moat must have been constructed in the mid-13th century but there may already have been a 'mansion' on the site before then. What happened to the site after William moved to Rushall we do not know. (5) Other refs (6) (7) (8) (9)

Moat is shown on Yates' map of 1775 and called 'Cordial Field'. (10)

Aerial photo. (11)

Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment. (12) Trial trenching in 2013 confirmed the presence of the Outer Ditch which survived to around 1.58m width. The depth is uncertain. (13).
LiDAR dataset clearly shows presence of moat (14).

For management information see notes

<1> 1958, OS Card (Bibliographic reference). SBL5622.

<2> Willmore FW, 1892, Records of Rushall with a transcript of the old parish registers, 16-17 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5218.

<3> Whiston, J W, 1981-2, The Rushall Psalter (Bibliographic reference). SBL1403.

<4> Willmore, Frederick W, 1887, A history of Walsall and its neighbourhood, 251 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5217.

<5> Mike Shaw, 2011, Comment 2011 (Comment). SBL7415.

<6> Page William (ed), 1908, Victoria County History: Staffordshire. Vol 1, 1; 368 (Bibliographic reference). SBL5465.

<7> Larkham P J, 1982, Moated Sites in South Staffordshire (Bibliographic reference). SBL3846.

<8> 1845, Tithe Map of Rushall (Map). SBL1247.

<9> Barratt; Shaw; Wheeler, 1986, Untitled Source (Bibliographic reference). SBL1250.

<10> Yates W, 1775, A map of the county of Staffordshire (Map). SBL6809.

<11> 1977, 102.089 (Aerial Photograph). SBL1252.

<12> AB Heritage, 2013, Longwood Cottages: Archaeological Desk-Based Assessment (Bibliographic reference). SBL7554.

<13> AB Heritage, 2014, Longwood Cottages, Walsall: Archaeological Field Evaluation Draft Report (Bibliographic reference). SBL7556.

<14> Environment Agency (Geomatics Website), 2014, Lidar dataset (Lidar data). SBL7541.

Sources and Further Reading

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