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Monument Type(s):

• AISLED HALL HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRIDGE (Medieval to 17th Century - 1066 AD to 1700 AD)
• DOVECOTE? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MIDDEN (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PIT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• POST HOLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• PRIVY HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WINCH? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• GRANGE (13th CENTURY to 16th Century - 1201 AD to 1600 AD)
• HOUSE (14th CENTURY to 17th Century - 1301 AD? to 1700 AD?)
• MANOR (14th CENTURY to 17th Century - 1301 AD? to 1700 AD?)
• DITCH (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
• PIT (16th Century to 17th Century - 1540 AD to 1700 AD)
• POST HOLE (16th Century to 17th Century - 1540 AD to 1700 AD)

Associated Finds

• COIN (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• KNIFE (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• TOKEN (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• WINDOW GLASS (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
• VESSEL (13th CENTURY to 16th Century - 1201 AD to 1600 AD)

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SE63SW10
• Old Sites & Monuments Record Number: 9522
• Old Sites & Monuments Record Number: 9522.01
• Old Sites & Monuments Record Number: 9522.01001

Full description

A type Al(a) moated site, a Grange of Selby Abbey. The land was acquired by 1257 and a chapel had been erected outside the moated enclosure by 1286. Licence to crenellate was granted in 1365. Partly excavated by Mr. and Mrs. D.G. Eyre in 1962-63. (1,2)
COUCHER BOOK STATES IT WAS A MANSION HOUSE WITH EDYFYCESMOTED ABOUTE. REBUILT IN 14TH CENTURY BY GADDESBY. SOLD AFTER THE DISSOLUTION. LOCATIONS OF EYRES EXCAVATIONS CONFUSED BUT BUILDING .01.100 (MNY10490) OUTSIDE MOAT SO MAIN GRANGE BUILDING STILL UNEXCAVATED?
Form: Documentary Source (0)

Excavation by D. C. Eyre in the garden of the present hall (built in 1689) within the moated area revealed a foundation of limestone blocks, 1 & 3/4 ft. wide, running parallel with the moat, and traces of a brick floor. This was possibly the manor house built by Gilfred de Gaddesby in 1360 but no pottery or other dating evidence was found. Work in the area of a large barn in the fold-yard produced early foundations, but no evidence that they belonged to the chapel (cf Med. Archaeol., VI-VII (1962-3), 338 Wilson, D M; Hurst, D G) (1,3) (13,14).

The medieval manor house and site of the medieval grange at Staynor Hall is discussed in (Micheal Courcier & Partners) (4)

Two excavations were carried out by Eyre, one inside the moated enclosure and one 90m to the south, both recorded building remains. (Also see MNY10490). The information for both sites is included on the OS Record cards (1,2). The confusion noted by authorities (0,1 &2) probably comes from the fact that the excavation inside the moated enclosure was later than the one to the south and at that time only the drain had been located within the enclosure. (5)

An archaeological assessment in 1998 repeats the documentary research quoted by authorities (1,2,3) and comments on the extant earthworks of the moat. (Cardwell, P)(6)

Trial trenching in 2008 did not record any evidence of the medieval structures.(7)

An earthwork survey report in 2009 recorded the documentary research on the site, similar to authorities (0,1,2,3) The Manor was re-built in 1360 and a detailed description was made at the time of the dissolution when the property was granted to Sir Ralph Saddler in 1540." The whole of the Grange of ours called Steyner, and all the houses, edifices, granaries, stables, dovecotes, gardens, orchards and curtilages adjacent, belonging and appertaining to that grange..." (Hunter, K)(8)

An excavation within the moated enclosure in 2019 recorded features of medieval and post medieval date in advance of the site being developed for housing. The inner moat platform was approximately 1220m square constrcuted from at least two layers of re-deposited natural, probably from up-cast material from the moat ditch. Medieval pottery was recovered from the later of the layers. Cutting into the later layer were a number of well constructed large post holes representing a substantial structure, interpreted as an aisled hall and chamber. No dating evidence was recovered but this was thought to be the earliest building on the moat platform. On the north side of the aisled structure was a limestone constructed latrine, rectangular in plan with two sub square cells. The structure contained medieval pottery and organic waste, a number of midden pits containing medieval pottery and domestic waste, were located along the periphery of the moat ditch and northern limits of the area. The remains of a moat bridge were recorded on the east-west arm of the moat. There were at least four stages of construction incuding timber and stone phases, with some evidence for a drawbridge and later a post medieval brick arch. Remains of a possible second timber bridge were also recorded on its western side. On the southern side of the aisled structure were two clusters of pits, post holes and a small circular feature, possibly a dovecote or winching base. The function of the pits was thought to be for some kind of industrial process. The pits contained medieval pottery and they were found to pre-date the moat bridge to the south. Others may have represented a small structure. (McClusky, B) (9)

Description from record MNY10489: Remains of a probable 14th C Manor House. Original NGR 462270 431140
A FOUNDATION OF LIMESTONE BLOCKS RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE MOAT AND TRACES OF A BRICK FLOOR. THIS RECORD IS CONFUSED BY THE COMMENT FROM DONALD EYRE NOTED ON THE OS CARD THAT THE ONLY STRUCTURE FOUND IN THE GARDEN WAS THE DRAIN.
Excavated by: DCE (1964) (1,2)

Description from record MNY10486: MOAT
THE 1907 OS SHEET SHOWS THE MOAT TO HAVE BEEN IN REASONABLE CONDITION.ON ALL 4 SIDES. A 1968 REPORT STATES THAT THE NORTHERN ARM WAS DRY & FAIRLY WELL -PRESERVED WITH AN OUTER BANK. OF THE OTHER ARMS ONLY TRACES OF THE S ARM COULD BE SEEN. Form: Earthwork, Earthwork(1-3 & 10 )
Recorded as a type A1(a) moated site.(Le Patourel)(11)
An assessment of the moated enclosure in 1998 noted that it was the only extant earthwork within the development area at Staynor Hall. The moat was best preserved on the northern side surviving to a depth the south of Staynor Hall. An adjoining hedge to the west has removed the earthworks on that side and none survive on the eastern side. The OS map of 1908 shows the original enclosure was 0.5ha including the moat.(Cardwell, P) (6)
The moated enclosure is discussed in (4)
A north-south aligned ditch on the line of the moat was recorded during trial trenching in 2008. It appeared to provide the western boundary of the garden of Staynor Hall. The primary fill of the ditch contained post-medieval brick and one sherd of late medieval pottery and a reidual sherd of Roman Mortarium.(7)
In 2009 an earthwork survey recorded the earthworks of the moat. There was a low flat bank to the north and south of the access road. The bank from the road gradually turns steeper to form the moat. The boundary wall for the garden is in the base of the moat. At Staynor Hall the bank rises to meet the north-south garden wall between the House and the Hall.No above ground evidence was visible to the west of the Hall, in the gardens of the Hall or Staynor House. (8)
A summary of the work carried out at Staynor Hall up until 2009 mentions the earthwork survey.(12)
The site of the moated enclosure was excavated in 2018. Three arms of the moat were exposed, comprising two north to south aligned eastern and western arms and an east to west southern arm. The northern arm lay beyond the limits of the excavation but was visible as an earthwork. The moat was found to have had at least three phases of construction with sub-phases of cleaning/maintenence. Heavily waterlogged deposits were recorded with well preserved revetments consisting of timber posts and planking in-situ within most deposits. Medieval pottery was recovered from the lower deposits and late medieval through to 19th century from upper deposits. It was thought to have been infilled by 1893. Two ditches interpreted as a possible Iron Age/Roman trackway were found on the western side of the moat, extending beyond the moat ditch and below the moat makeup platform. (See MNY38838) (McClusky, B) (9)

<1> Ordnance Survey, Various, Ordnance Survey Record Card, SE63SW 10 (Card Index). SNY1.

<2> Yorkshire Archaeological Society, 1977 - 1980, Yorkshire Studies Card, SE63SW 2497 (Card Index). SNY2.

<3> Medieval Archaeology, 1964, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1962 and 1963, p276 (Article). SNY15199.

<4> Persimmon Homes (Yorkshire), 2002, Land at Staynor Hall, Bawtry Road, Selby (in 4 Vols Volume 1 - Non-technical Summary Volume 2 - Environmental Statement Volume 3 - Appendices Volume 4 - Figures) (Report). SNY15222.

<5> NYCC, 2020, Personal Communication (Verbal Communication). SNY23366.

<6> Northern Archaeological Associates, 12/1998, Staynor Hall, Selby. Archaeological Assessment (Report). SNY816.

<7> MAP Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 07/2008, Staynor Hall, Selby, North Yorkshire. Archaeological Trial Trenching. (Report). SNY12611.

<8> MAP Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 06/2009, Staynor Hall Selby North Yorkshire Earthwork Survey (Report). SNY15163.

<9> On Site Archaeology, 07/2019, Staynor Hall, Staynor. Archaeological Assessment Report (Report). SNY23502.

<10> Yorkshire Archaeological Society, 1893, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, P350 (Serial). SNY2260.

<11> Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph Series, 1973, THE MOATED SITES OF YORKSHIRE, p128 (Monograph). SNY1682.

<12> MAP Archaeological Consultancy Ltd, 2009, Staynor Hall Selby North Yorkshire: Archaeological Statement (Report). SNY16435.

<13> Royal Commission on the Historic Monuments of England, 1996, Excavation Index: North Yorkshire (Excluding York) (Report). SNY1959.

<14> 12/10/1989, Letter from D C Eyre to NYCC regarding excavation archives (Correspondence). SNY15201.

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