Monument Type(s):

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

Summary

Scheduled Monument: Despite some modification, this a good example of a medieval moated residence which has been shown by early excavation and later finds to contain archaeological remains of construction and occupation. It seems likely that a moat house stood on the site at the time of the Battle of Shrewsbury (1403).

Related records: None recorded

Associated Finds

• FSA175 - SHERD (13th century to 14th century - 1200 AD? to 1300 AD?)

Associated Events

• ESA4299 - 1960 excavation at Harlescott Grange by Phillip Barker
• ESA4300 - 1981 field observation by Shropshire County Council
• ESA4301 - 1960 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA4302 - 1972 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA4303 - 1985 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA7142 - 2014 DBA at Anchor Inn, Gloucester Road, Harlescott Grange by Castlering Archaeology

Description

All traces of the original Harlescott House have disappeared and no records of it are known other than that in 1417 there is a report that the body of one of the slain at the Battle of Shrewsbury had lain at Harlescott. An oak staircase and panelling in the present house, which stands outside the moat, may have come from the old house. The moat was lined with masonry on both sides. <1a>

Excavations were made by the Shrewsbury Research Group in 1960, within the moated area, in advance of landscaping by the Borough Council.
Blakeway (<1c>) mentions a house on the site but no structures, floors or hearths were found or any traces of occupation. There were no finds except a handful of small potsherds from the 13th c. ? To date. It is probable that gardening operations have cleared away all traces of the building. Blakeway mentions a line of masonry which could not be found but as he suggests the building was timber-framed, the absence of structural remains may also be explained by the relatively slight foundations required for such a building. A large prob. 13th c. potsherd found when the moat was drained is in Mr Peele's possession. The author was told that "13th c. pitchers had been found at a particular point on the moat edge but enquiries failed to substantiate this and digging at the place produced nothing. <1b>

Large timber framed house recorded at the moat by Blakeway, some of the wood from which may have be used in the present house <1c>

Not present now (comment by CR on card). <4>

In 1981 it was noted that the site was becoming increasingly dilapidated and destroyed as a result of it being used as an unofficial children's play area and also due to dumping of rubbish in the moat ditch. <5>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of133 Moated sites <7>

Scheduling revised in 2000. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a medieval moated site, situated on a gentle north east facing slope. It is now surrounded by a modern housing estate, but from this location there would originally have been extensive views of the surrounding area. The moat is now visible as a slight earthwork having been drained in 1950 and largely infilled following the construction of the housing estate. The arms of the moat, which survive as buried features, are between 12m and 15m wide and define a rectangular island approximately 40m by 46m. Material excavated from the moat has been used to raise the surface of the island between 1.2m and 2m above the level of the surrounding ground. An account of the site in 1937 indicated that the sides of the moat were lined with masonry and when the moat was drained, 13th century pottery was found (see <1a>) . Sherds of medieval pottery were also found when a small-scale archaeological excavation was conducted in 1960. ->

-> A number of features are excluded from the scheduling, these are; all fences and modern walls, all paths and a litter bin; the ground beneath all these features is, however, included. <8>

A heritage assessment was prepared to accompany a planning application for residential development on the site of the Anchor Inn, Harlescott Grange, Shrewsbury. The rear of the site forms a boundary with Harlescott Grange moated site , the earthwork remains of which were awarded statutory protection in 1972 as a good example of a medieval moated site, despite its modification following the construction of the surrounding housing estate. ->

-> It seems likely that the moat house stood on the site at the time of the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403, fought between Henry IV and the Northumbrian Henry Percy, on fields approximately 1km northeast of the moated site. A document dated 1417 states that the body of Sir John Massey of Tatton, killed fighting for Percy in the Battle, had lain at Harlescott (www.militaryhistoryonline.com/medieval/shrewsbury). Massey had joined the forces of the losing side under Percy. The moat house was presumably the nearest safe house to the Battle site, and unlikely to be owned by the Husseys or any Royalist family at this time. By the 18th century that part of the Manor of Harlescott owned by the Hussey family had passed to the Corbets and the moated site had come into the possession of the Lloyd family of Leaton. Rocque’s map of 1752 makes no reference to the moated site. The small-scale county map of 1808 by Baugh again does not record the moat. Greenwood’s map of 1827 records the small settlement in more detail. The rectangular moat is recorded but no adjoining property. ->

-> The assessment concluded that the application site is of moderate to high archaeological potential. A mitigation strategy to allow for a programme of archaeological work to be undertaken as a condition of planning consent would allow for further investigations into the site, with a view to increasing knowledge in respect of both the moated site and the development of the farmstead. <9>

Additional notes from NRHE. ->

-> Part of a Medieval vessel found in dredging the moat in 1950. In the possession of Mr M Peele. <10a> ->

->A n annotated re-survey has been made. The masonry lining to the moat has apparently been added when the moat was first laid out as an ornamental garden. Mr. Barker confirmed the published details of the 1960 excavation. <10b>. <10>

Sources

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