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CHER Number: | 00757 |
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Type of record: | Monument |
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Name: | Homestead moat, Thorpe Manor, Ellington |
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Summary - not yet available
Grid Reference: | TL 156 704 |
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Parish: | Ellington, Huntingdonshire, Cambridgeshire |
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Monument Type(s):
- MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- MANOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
- HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Associated Finds:
- SHERD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
Associated Events:
- Excavation at Thorpe Lodge, Ellington, 1965
Protected Status:
- SHINE (Validated): Medieval moated site at Thorpe Lodge, with earthwork remains of fishpond complex to E of moat and channel running S.
Full description
R3, Thorpe Lodge moat encloses an area of 180 x 130 feet with rounded corners. On the W and S are bold outer banks with crests c 35ft from the side of the moat. From the S side of the outer bank, a dyke runs 50ft to the S, then turns E and empties into the dyke by the hedge. About 140ft from the NE corner of the moat, but separated from it by a hedge and large dyke is a subsidiary enclosure of unusual shape being 250ft x 35ft.From the SW corner of this moat a dyke runs S for 400 feet (with bank on the W side) and then turns W and empties into a dyke by the hedge.
S2, Homestead moat at Ellington Thorpe; site of the manor house of the Sibthorpes or Grims.
R2. Excavation of the moated enclosure in 1965 revealed that the earliest occupation of the site was in the Roman period. An aisled timber hall (see plan) of 12th-13th century construction, destroyed or demolished during the second half and possibly last quarter of the 13th century was then sealed by a moated platform erected almost immediately, occupation of this ending towards the end of the 14th century. Numerous finds were made of 12th-13th century pottery, iron, bronze and bones. The moat is sub-circular and lies on level ground under pasture. It has overall dimensions of 86.0m N-S and 80.0m E-W. The ditches are 11.0m wide and on the N, S. and E. sides water-filled from surface drainage. The W. arm is dry, has a depth of 1.3m and was probably drained from the NE but no ditch now shows here. In the N. arm there is a causeway which is probably original. On the outside of the W. and S. arms there is a retaining bank 0.5m high. The island is not raised and has a light surface scatter of undressed stone, tile and brick. 50.0m E. of the moat, on level ground, under pasture, there are two parallel ditches and part of a third. They are orientated NE-SW and are connected on the W. by a further N-S ditch which formerly ran into the S. side of the moat but is now partly filled. The two parallel ditches are water-filled from surface drainage and are both 10.0m wide. At their NE end there is a slight retaining bank, 0.4m high. The third ditch is almost completely filled, having a width of 8.0m with a maximum depth of 0.5m at its SE end. The connecting ditch is also dry, and on its W. side there is a bank 0.8m high. These features probably represent the incomplete remains of a fish-pond complex. There are no traces of other parallel ponds to the south.
O2, The farmer stated that the site was excavated under the direction of CF Tebbutt.
O3, C12 sherds from moated manor site, Ellington Thorpe.
Hurst, D.G., 1966, Medieval Britain in 1965: II Post Conquest: Med Arch 10:177-219, p. 202 (plan) (Article in serial). SCB7292.
Tebbutt, C.F., Rudd, G. T. and Moorhouse, S., 1971, Excavation of a moated site at Ellington, Huntingdonshire. PCAS 63: 31-73 (Article in serial). SCB10835.
Page, W. and Proby, G. (eds), 1926, The Victoria County History of Huntingdonshire. Volume 1, 297(abstracted from) (Bibliographic reference). SCB14952.
<4> Butcher, S. & Garwood, P., 1994, Rescue excavation 1938-1972: a report for the Backlog Working Party of the Ancient Monuments Advisory Committee of English Heritage (Unpublished document). SCB17658.
<5> Tebbutt, C.F. & Rudd, G.T., 1965, Thorpe Lodge 1965 (Excavation archive). SCB17675.
<6> Mason, G.J., Field Investigator Comments, 10/3/77 (Verbal communication). SCB60631.
<7> RCHM, 1926, An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Huntingdonshire (Bibliographic reference). SCB12619.
<8> University of Cambridge, Cambridge Air Photos, NS17 (Website). SCB82491.
Sources and further reading
<R1> | Article in serial: Hurst, D.G.. 1966. Medieval Britain in 1965: II Post Conquest: Med Arch 10:177-219. p. 202 (plan). |
<R2> | Article in serial: Tebbutt, C.F., Rudd, G. T. and Moorhouse, S.. 1971. Excavation of a moated site at Ellington, Huntingdonshire. PCAS 63: 31-73. |
<R3> | Bibliographic reference: Page, W. and Proby, G. (eds). 1926. The Victoria County History of Huntingdonshire. Volume 1. 297(abstracted from). |
<4> | Unpublished document: Butcher, S. & Garwood, P.. 1994. Rescue excavation 1938-1972: a report for the Backlog Working Party of the Ancient Monuments Advisory Committee of English Heritage. |
<5> | Excavation archive: Tebbutt, C.F. & Rudd, G.T.. 1965. Thorpe Lodge 1965. |
<6> | Verbal communication: Mason, G.J.. Field Investigator Comments. 10/3/77. |
<7> | Bibliographic reference: RCHM. 1926. An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Huntingdonshire. |
<8> | Website: University of Cambridge. Cambridge Air Photos. https://www.cambridgeairphotos.com/. NS17. |
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