Monument Type(s):

• MANOR HOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• MOATED SITE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A well-documented and reasonably well-preserved example of a medieval moated manor site, believed to have been constructed in the 14th century by the local MP as the centre of his manor of Leigh.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA2148 - 1971 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA2149 - 1977 survey of Leigh Hall moat by Shropshire County Council
• ESA2150 - 1978 field observation by Shropshire County Council
• ESA2151 - 1978 trial trench at Leigh Hall moated site by Shropshire County Council
• ESA2152 - 1981 field observation by Shropshire County Council
• ESA8625 - 2014 Heritage at Risk Survey by Historic England

Description

At SJ 33310362 are the south-west, north-west and north-east arms of a rectangular, water-filled moat. At SJ 33300361 is a 10.0m long wall, 1.0m thick and 2.3m high, constructed of mortared, roughly-dressed stone, probably the remains of the Medieval hall. <1a>

A sub-rectangular, waterfilled homestead moat on the north side of Leigh Hall (a 19th century farmhouse). The moat measures overall, 70.0m north-west to south-east, by 55.0m transversely. The arms, which are steep-sided, average 10.0m, in width, and are up to 2.0m in depth to water level. Most of the south-east arm, with the south corner, has been filled in, otherwise the moat is in good condition. An original causewayed entrance lies midway across the north-west arm. There are traces of buried masonry on the inner north side of the entrance, the suggested site of a gatehouse, and there is exposed masonry walling on the north-east along the inner edge of the moat. In a similar situation on the south-west, random rubble stone walling, 0.4m thick, stands to a height of 2.2m, extends for some 3.0m, and then continues for a further 5.0m, about 0.2m high, towards the west corner. There are no dateable features in any of it. <1b>

Series of large scale survey plans of the moat held in the HER. <2>

A small T shaped trench was excavated across the moat ditch in May 1978 in advance of dredging. Beneath superficial humus and rubble was located a hard rammed rubble surface lying on the demolition rubble of a building, partly of brick, with stone roof slates. Below this was a fine grey clay. The site is probably the manor house of the Corbets of Leigh-Juxta-Caus from the early C14, the manor being held prior to that time by the Hager family. Moat probably abandoned in the C17, possibly as the result of damage in the Civil War. Original plan of trench held in the HER Map Bin. <3>

Site visit record form, 1978. <4>

Moated site situated on a N facing terrace on the S side of the Rea brook valley, the moat lies on the N side of the gently sloping terrace, the ground falling away to the N and NE. The moat is trapezoidal in shape and measures c 809m NW/SE x 45m SW/ NE overall. The ditch, which is waterfilled, averages 1.5m deep to present silt level and up to c 10m wide. There is an external bank on the NE and NW sides. A causeway crosses the ditch in the centre of the NW arm-it appears modern in its present form but probably marks the course of the original entrance. Most of the SE arm and the SE end of the SW arm have been filled in. At several points the base of the moat ditch is metalled with rammed stone (probing). The moat's water supply was probably largely from seepage though there is an inlet drain running into the SW corner-not necessarily contemporary with the moat. The moat island is revetted with a stone wall, much disturbed by trees, but in places up to 2m high. The moat island contains one of the few examples of standing medieval masonry on a moat in the county. It is a 5m length of wall standing 2.5m high situated on the edge of the island on the SW side; its function is uncertain. There are also mounds representing possible building platforms at the NW and NE corners. Large stones also indicate the presence of other buildings on the island and in particular the foundations of a large rectangular probable gatehouse structure on the NW side adjacent to the causeway. The island is generally in good condition and appears to be relatively undisturbed. M Watson FI 1981 <5>

The moat is probably manorial, the manor of Leigh being first mentioned in 1199. The vill was burnt by the Welsh in 1263. During the Civil War, the site was garrisoned and destroyed by fire, although whether the moated site itself was still in use at this time is not known. The moat is water-logged and is complete except for the south corner which has been filled in. Substantial lengths of revetment walling in local stone, up to 2.0m high, survive around the island, and on the south-west side a fragment of free-standing walling survives to a height of 2.3m. The original entrance appears to have been on the north-west where, although the causeway is modern there are clear signs of gate jambs and foundations of a rectangular gatehouse on the island. Other masonry buildings can be traced on other parts of the island. The present Leigh Hall farm stands adjacent to the site and contains a half-timbered wing, probably of 17th century date. The site is not scheduled but is one of the few in the county with visible masonry, It is being cleared and surveyed as a preliminary to salvage operations during projected dredging of the moat ditch in 1978. <6a>

Final report on the excavation carried out in 1978 at the moat [see <3> for interim report]. A compact rubble layer was recorded, lying below humic silt. The excavation was undertaken in response to a proposal to clear the silt from the moat, in order to reflood the ditch for use as a reservoir. The small trench had the strictly limited aim of assessing the character and if possible the date of the moat silting and the character of the rubble layer. The moat was cut into fine grey clay, above which was a fine clay silt with some stone, about 50cm thick and without dateable finds. Above this was a series of rubble, brick and mortar tips, hard rammed together. The bricks were suggested as being of late 16th century date. A number of stone roofing tiles were found in these layers, which were interpreted as the debris from buildings on the island deliberately rammed into the moat silt in the C17th or C18th, perhaps as a hard-standing for watering cattle. Examination of the moat silt suggested repeated cleaning. <6b>

Material from the excavation deposited in Shrewsbury Museum, 1979. <12>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of 133 Moated sites. <13>

Scheduled in 2000. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork, standing structural and buried remains of a medieval moated site. The moated site is considered to be the later centre of the manor of Leigh, probably constructed in the early 14th century by Robert Corbet, who by 1324 had become the local Member of Parliament. The Corbets of Leigh held the manor until 1748. By 1667-68 the manor house was described as 'lately burnt, destroyed or demolished', possibly the result of damage in the Civil War. The adjacent farmhouse at Leigh Hall, constructed in the late 17th century, was built to replace the former manor house. It is a Listed Building Grade II and not included in the scheduling. ->

-> The moated site is situated on level ground on the southern side of the Rea Brook valley, with extensive views of the valley and the uplands to the north and west. The moat, which retains water, defines a rectangular island approximately 45m south west -north east by 8Om north west -south east. The arms of the moat are between 1Om and 13m wide and have been revetted with stone. The south eastern arm and the southern portion of the south western arm have largely been filled in, but survive as buried features. Material excavated from the moat has been used to create external banks which bound the north eastern and north western moat arms. The north eastern bank stands to a height of 1.6m. The modern causeway across the north western arm is believed to follow the original means of access onto the island. Wall footings and the remains of collapsed walls of stone and brick survive around much of the perimeter of the island, indicating ranges of buildings set around a courtyard. The short upstanding section of stone wall, which is Listed Grade II, survives to a height of 2.5m. It is thought to date from the 14th or 15th century and incorporates earlier fragments of dressed sandstone. The site was the subject of a detailed archaeological survey in 1977-78 when a small-scale archaeological excavation across the north western arm of the moat was also carried out prior to the partial dredging of the moat. This investigation revealed that the moat had been repeatedly cleaned prior to the deposition of building rubble during the 17th and 18th centuries. ->

-> There are a number of features which are excluded from the scheduling, these are: all modern boundary walls, fences and gates, all modern domestic and agricultural buildings constructed over the southern part of the moat, the surface of the causeway crossing the north western moat arm and the surface of the farm track next to the south eastern and north eastern moat arms, although the ground beneath all these features is included. <14>

Photographed during aerial photographic survey in 2009. <15>

The earthwork remains of the moat described by the previous authorities was seen on aerial photographs filled with water. The visible remains formed three sides of a rectilinear enclosure with rounded corners measuring approximately 45m across and centred at SJ 3331 0362. The modern farm has encroached upon the site. The site was mapped from aerial photographs. NMR SJ 3303/1 03-Jan-1986. <16>

Sources

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