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Monument Types

• MANOR HOUSE (Early Medieval to Late Post-medieval - 1301 AD? to 1820 AD?)

Summary

A manor house known as the "Old Hall" stood within a moat. Nichols says there was a manor from the C14th, with a house mentioned in 1520. A geophysical survey in 2003 did not reveal any evidence that the house stood here, although there were readings that might suggest demolition rubble. Results suggested there was an area of hardcore or a structure on the western side of the moat.

Additional Information

Information from OS records: The post-medieval house was demolished 1820-30. A watercolour owned by Mrs Belgrave of North Kilworth showed "a two storied house of 6 bays with a central gable-part, at least of 17th century date". In 1960 most of the field was occupied by chicken coops but a homestead moat at SP 618 833 had 3 sides still wet and the east side clearly visible as a depression.

The site was surveyed by RF Hartley, the revised survey was inked up in 1999.

Examination of moat silts in 2011 recovered few finds though there were a few pieces of handmade brick.

<1> Page, William (ed), 1907, The Victoria County History of the County of Leicester, Volume 1, p270 (Bibliographic reference). SLE1156.

VCH describes the earthworks as follows: "…the site of the 'Old Hall' is marked by a moat 18' wide and 3' deep enclosing 3 sides of a square. To the west of the moat another square area is surrounded by a bank 4' high at the most perfect point; and to the south-east are the remains of other banks which have been mutilated in digging for gravel."

<2> Nichols J, The History and Antiquities of Leicestershire, Vol 4 pt 1 (1807), p198 (Bibliographic reference). SLE7.

Nichols mentions the 'manor of Netherhall' going back to the C14th with a capital messuage mentioned in 1520 (owned by William Belgrave).

<3> Higgins, T, 2000, An archaeological watching brief at Millennium Green, North Kilworth (Unpublished document). SLE2424.

An archaeological watching brief was carried out during minor ground works at the Millennium Green site. The 'old hall'/moated hall is contained within this proposed site. The only significant feature found of an archaeological nature was a possible make-up layer of a terrace earthwork in the south of the moated hall observed in the foot bridge foundation trench. It is believed this feature may have formed part of the terrace features and formal gardens that would have surrounded the medieval moat and hall. (JW 30/08/00)

<4> Coward, J, 2003, A geophysical survey at North Kilworth Millennium Green (Unpublished document). SLE105.

Geophysical survey in 2003 did not record clear evidence of a house within the moated area. The data within the moat area was generally high and 'noisy', and it is possible that it represents scattered destruction debris from the demolition. An anomaly at the moat entrance may represent hardcore makeup or possibly the remains of a structure flanking the entrance causeway.

<5> Hartley, RF, 2018, The medieval earthworks of south and south-east Leicestershire, p34, p37 (Bibliographic reference). SLE5736.

"The site of Nether Hall is marked by a rectangular moat to the north-east of St Andrew's Church. The moat is water-filled on three sides, but the whole feature is very shallow and presumably intended more for display than defence. Immediately west of the moat is a terrace and a levelled rectangular area, interpreted here as the parterre of a formal garden. There is a by-pass channel, showing how the stream has been diverted to create this low-lying site. Thomas Payne possessed the manor of Nether Hall in 1347, and it was later held by the Belgrave family (Nichols 1810, 197-8)."

Sources

Associated Finds

None recorded

Designations

• Conservation Area: North Kilworth

Associated Images

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.