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Hertfordshire HER & St Albans UAD

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HHER Number:754
Type of record:Monument
Name:MOAT, THE WARREN, NUTHAMPSTEAD

Summary

Medieval moated site associated with Scales Park, and possibly later used as a rabbit warren

Grid Reference:TL 420 342
Map Sheet:TL43SW
Parish:Nuthampstead, North Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire
Map:Show location on Streetmap

Monument Types

  • LODGE? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1500 AD)
  • MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1500 AD)
  • RABBIT WARREN (Post Medieval - 1501 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • PENDANT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1500 AD)

Protected Status

  • SHINE: Unfinished medieval moated site, 'The Warren', Braughing

Full description

Moated site, which originally comprised a square moat 3-7.5m wide, with an external bank 0.7m high and an internal bank 1.5m high. Several large spoil heaps were situated on the moat platform, and the OS suggest the moat was unfinished. The upstanding remains were destroyed by the construction of the airfield in 1939-45 <1>. Remains of a denuded bank 0.25m high are visible, but damage from airfield construction and deep ploughing suggests that potential is low <2>.
Excavation in 1945 produced 4 hearths, 13th century pottery and a carved ivory pendant of the Virgin and Child dated to c.1200 <3>. The moat is shown clearly on the 1892 OS map <4>, and then had the plan of a backwards E. It may be 'The Old Moat' shown on a 1741 estate map, and the 19th century name, The Warren, 'suggests that rabbits were kept on the island within the moat, or nearby' <5>. This was part of the medieval deer park, Scales Park [6596], and the moat may have been the site of an early park lodge <5>.


Andrews, H C, 1945, Nuthampstead: Scales Park; Trans E Herts Archaeol Soc 1945, p49 (Article in serial). SHT4762.


Dimsdale, Baron, 1968, Scales Park, 1270-1966; Herts Past & Present 8, 38-47 (Article in serial). SHT4739.


<1> OS Records (Index). SHT8223.


<2> Stewart Bryant (HCC), Information, Site visit 27.1.88 (Verbal communication). SHT5002.


<3> Williams, Audrey, 1946, A homestead moat at Nuthampstead, Herts; Antiquaries Journal 26, 138-44 (Article in serial). SHT9592.


<4> OS 25 inch map, 1st edition, 1892 (Cartographic material). SHT8116.


<5> Rowe, Anne, 2009, Medieval parks of Hertfordshire, - p54; Fig.14 (Bibliographic reference). SHT6026.

Sources and further reading

---Article in serial: Dimsdale, Baron. 1968. Scales Park, 1270-1966; Herts Past & Present 8, 38-47.
---Article in serial: Andrews, H C. 1945. Nuthampstead: Scales Park; Trans E Herts Archaeol Soc 1945, p49.
<1>Index: OS Records.
<2>Verbal communication: Stewart Bryant (HCC). Information. Site visit 27.1.88.
<3>Article in serial: Williams, Audrey. 1946. A homestead moat at Nuthampstead, Herts; Antiquaries Journal 26, 138-44.
<4>Cartographic material: OS 25 inch map, 1st edition. 1892.
<5>Bibliographic reference: Rowe, Anne. 2009. Medieval parks of Hertfordshire. - p54; Fig.14.

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