| HER Number (PRN): | 30793 |
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| Name: | Site of moat, SW of Wattlesborough Hall and Castle |
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| Type of Record: | Monument |
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Protected Status: | None recorded |
Monument Type(s):
- MOAT? (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1901 AD?)
- PLEASANCE? (16th century to 17th century - 1500 AD to 1699 AD)
Summary
The site of a moat recorded from documentary evidence to the immediate SW of Wattleborough Hall and Castle (PRN 18577 & 13191). It has been suggested that it later became a moated garden feature, a pleasance associated with the formal gardens around the Hall (PRN 07711).
| Parish: | Alberbury with Cardeston, Shrewsbury and Atcham, Shropshire |
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| Map Sheet: | SJ31SE |
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| Grid Reference: | SJ 35483 12565 |
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Related records
| 07711 | Part of: Wattlesborough Castle Gardens (Monument) |
Associated Finds: None recorded
Associated Events
- ESA6843 - 2004 DBA and building recording of Wattlesborough Tower, Wattlesborough by R K Morriss & Associates
Description
The site of a moat recorded from documentary evidence to the immediate SW of Wattleborough Hall and Castle (PRN 18577 & 13191). It is first shown on the Tithe Map of 1847, which depicts a large sub-rectangular platform surrounded by a moat to the south and west, aligned with the present hall and tower. The area within the moat arms appears to have a perimeter path and is labelled the 'Cherry Orchard'. It has all the indications of being a formal pleasuance or moated garden, possibly adapted from an earlier defensive feature. A defensive moat was mentioned in a deed of 1379 <2>, although it is unclear if this is the one referred to. Immediately to the north there are traces of two further arms continuing northwards. Even in the 1950s, and despite considerable undergrowth and dense scrub, the basic pattern of the moat and water system was still virtually intact and was recorded on aerial photographs by J K St. Joseph (CUCAO OT.87). In the 1980s, as part of agricultural improvements most of the platform and tha attendant earthworks were ploughed out leaving only fragmentary traces. On balance, it is considered that this feature more likely results from garden design in the late 16th or 17th century. Its position is marked by trees. <1>
An earthwork is shown on the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map, although only the southern arm is marked as waterfilled. An additional arm of moat is marked to the north, comprising the eastern and southern arms of an additional moat. <3>
The western arm of the southern moated feature is just discernible in Google Earth imagery, taken in 2009 and 2010. Nothing is evident of the northern moat.<4>
Sources
| [01] | SSA24258 - Field survey report: Morriss Richard K. 2004. Wattlesborough Tower, Wattlesborough, Shropshire: an archaeological and architectural analysis and survey. Mercian Heritage Series. 223. pp.12,13,45. |
| [02] | SSA1126 - Volume: Gaydon A T (ed). 1968. Victoria County History 8: Condover and Ford Hundreds. Victoria County History of Shropshire. Vol 8. p.198. |
| [03] | SSA20952 - Map: Ordnance Survey. c1899-1903. OS County Series 1:2500 maps (2nd edition) - digital dataset. OS County Series. |
| [04] | SSA26796 - Aerial photograph: Google. Varied. Google Earth. digital. 2009, 2010 layers. |
| Date Last Edited: | Jul 1 2022 12:45PM |
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