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This site is designated as being of national importance and is afforded additional protection. Consult West Berkshire Council's Archaeology team if more information or advice is needed.

Summary

Scheduled site of the manor house of East Shefford which stood near the church but was destroyed in 1871. The moat which surrounded the house and garden has been filled in. Nothing to indicate the site of the house on OS mapping of 1964.

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1013172: MOATED SITE AT HUG DITCH COURT

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 01064.00.000
  
• National Monuments Record No.: SU 37 SE 14
  SU 3905 7462

Monument Type(s):

• MANOR HOUSE (Medieval to Late 19th century - 1066 AD to 1871 AD)
• BARN (19th century to Late 19th century - 1801 AD? to 1871 AD)

Full Description

The Victoria County History <1> notes that there may have been a hundred court, presumably of Kintbury Eagle, in Hungerford parish, where the Wantage road leaves the parish of Shefford. Tradition assigned the site of the court to a place on the boundary where a pollard ash formerly grew, but the court was afterwards transferred to Hug Ditch Court in East Shefford <2>. This information is probably derived from Gray's History <3>.

Dr Palmer 'with regret' recorded 'an act of vandalism in the destruction of the Ancient Moated House of Hug Ditch Court in 1871 <4>. He noted that 'the preservation of ancient remains is now attracting considerable attention, and the matter ought to be taken up by the Field Club in the hope of obtaining the interference of Government..' Part of the manor house, said to have been the great hall, was used as a barn. The interior of the roof was said to have been similar to that of Eton College, and there were then 'several sculptured coats of arms lying about which would well repay a careful examination' <4>.

The Newbury District Field Club also visited East Shefford in 1873 <5> when it was noted that the great hall of the old moated Manor House had existed as a barn 'until a few years ago'; a shield cut on a stone in the old building bore the Besils-Legh arms.

The site of the manor house is marked on historic Ordnance Survey maps <9>, and lies within a scheduled site.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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