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Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 35565: Wilton Hall moated site 250m south of Manor Farm

Monument Type(s):

• FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• GREAT HALL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (11th CENTURY to 14th CENTURY - 1066 AD to 1399 AD)
• POST HOLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• WELL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• DITCH (13th CENTURY to 14th CENTURY - 1201 AD? to 1400 AD?)

Other References/Statuses

• AMIE Reference / HOB UID: 62655 WILTON HALL
• National Monuments Record: SE88SE8
• Old Sites & Monuments Record Number: 12546.02
• Old Sites & Monuments Record Number: 12546.02010
• Old Sites & Monuments Record Number: 12546.02100

Full description

The site of Wilton Hall with remains of a roughly rectangular moat. In 1335 John de Heslerton had licence to crenellate a house here. Since 1375 the manor of Wilton has been held by the Hotham family. The partly wet moat is well defined, apart from the north arm, and averages 20 m in width and 2.2m in depth. It encloses a sub rectangular raised platform which has an uneven surface, but no building foundations are visible. Slight channelling of the ground to the south of the noat probably represents the only remains of the fishponds. There is no trace of the well. The north east corner was excavated in 1975 and a full description of the site and account of the 1975 excavations is given by the Scarborough and District Archaeology and History Society, which showed 12th century occupation (post holes and cobbled area). A well of unknown date was found to the north of the northern rampart, which remained in use until 1912. Evidenc efor a possible outer bailey was recorded.
Form: Earthwork (12/1975), Excavated Site (1)(2)
A type A2(b) moated site with fishponds at end of vill; seignorial. Ancestral house of the Bulmer family whose present residence (b1810) has incorporated some of the foundations of the earlier building. Licence granted to Sir Ralph Bulmer II to crenellate his manor house in 1335, and described by Leland as having a tower.(3)
The site was scheduled in 1968, and the scheduled area extended in 2004. (4,5)
An article discussing the licences granted to crenellate in Yorkshire was included in Medieval Yorkshire in 2017. Wilton Hall is listed in the gazeteer with the date of the licence as 3rd February 1335. (Davis, P) (6) Further information can be found on the website for the Gatehouse Gazeteer. (Davis, P) (7)

Description from record MNY12405: (NE of the site)
DITCH WAS FOUND TO DIFFERENT IN NATURE TO THE DITCH TO SOUTH AND WEST BEING SHALLOW AND LESS WIDE.
Form: Excavated Site (2) (4,5)

Description from record MNY12406: (On raised central platform)
LICENCE TO CRENELLATE A HOUSE GRANTED 1375. Form: Site of (4,5)

Fishponds: MNY16163: No Description. (South of Moat)

<1> Ordnance Survey, Various, Ordnance Survey Record Card, SE88SE8 (Card Index). SNY1.

<2> Scarborough Archaeological and History Society, 1988, Transactions of The Scarborough Archaeological and History Society, p19-25 (Serial). SNY7849.

<3> Yorkshire Archaeological Society, 1977 - 1980, Yorkshire Studies Card, SE 88 SE 10262 (Card Index). SNY2.

<4> English Heritage, 02/06/2004, Wilton Hall moated site 250m south of Manor Farm (Scheduled Monument Notification). SNY8610.

<5> Various, various, Wilton Hall Moated Site (Correspondence). SNY10492.

<6> Medieval Yorkshire, 2017, Yorkshire Licences to Crenellate, p32&37 (Article). SNY22629.

<7> Philip Davis, The Gatehouse Gazeteer (Webpage). SNY22630.

Sources and further reading

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