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Monument Types

• ENCLOSURE (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)
• FISHPOND (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)
• MANOR HOUSE (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)

Summary

North of the church is the platform of the manor house site, with traces of several buildings. It is surrounded by a deep ditch and has outer enclosures that probably once contained orchards or gardens. There is also a fish pond. The site was surveyed in the 1980s.

Additional Information

<1> Historic England, National Heritage List for England, https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1010915 (Website). SLE7874.

Scheduled Monument description extract:
The moat at Dunton Bassett is a good example of a Leicestershire manorial moated site with a well-preserved fishpond. The moat island is essentially undisturbed and will retain evidence of the original manorial buildings.
Details:
The moated site at Dunton Bassett is situated on high ground within the village 100m north of the church and includes a small fishpond. The monument is a sub-rectangular moated site orientated east-west and measuring 60 x 50m. It has two well defined moat arms on the north and east sides 6m wide and 1.5m deep with an internal bank. Traces of a southern arm less than 0.5m deep can be seen parallel to the field boundary. The western arm appears to have been infilled. There are building foundations on the eastern side of the island measuring 12 x 13m and 0.3m high. A fishpond measuring 15m square and embanked on the east, is situated on the eastern side of the moated area and is connected to it by a channel.
Scheduled 25/02/1953, most recent amendment 10/03/1992.

<2> Leicestershire SMR Comment, PL (undated) (Unpublished document). SLE7870.

In 1964 a pipe trench was dug E-W outside the S ditch of the site and sherds were recovered by JAD. This comprised 2 C12th/C13th rims. (678.1964) (See MLE8155)

<3> Leicestershire SMR Comment, PL (undated) (Unpublished document). SLE7870.

In 1971 JAD watched the construction of houses north of the church (i.e. between the church and the earthwork) and found 7 sherds of pottery - 1 Stamford ware, 6 ?medieval. (566.1973) (See MLE8155)

<4> Leicestershire SMR Comment, PL 21/10/86 (Unpublished document). SLE7870.

N of the church is a complex of enclosures. Within the most substantial is a large house platform, probably the site of the manor house. Surveyed by RFH 1981/2.

<5> Hartley, RF, 2018, The medieval earthworks of south and south-east Leicestershire, p18-19 (Bibliographic reference). SLE5736.

"North of All Saints Church is the platform of the manor house site (a), with traces of several buildings. It is surrounded by a deep ditch (b), and has outer enclosures (c and d) probably once containing orchards or gardens. There is also a fish pond (e)."

<6> 2016, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning (Website). SLE4981.

SUMMARY: "Medieval moat, fishpond and field boundaries surviving as earthworks. Manor house surviving as building foundations on moat island."
URL: 'https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/NRHE/RecordDetail.aspx?pageid=45&he_uid=340716', accessioned 14/04/2025.

<7> Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 (6") and 10K historic mapping, 1902-50 (Map). SLE7243.

[SP 54759053] Hall [GT] (Site of) Moat [GT]

<8> Page, William (ed), 1907, The Victoria County History of the County of Leicester, Volume 1, p265 (Bibliographic reference). SLE1156.

Within the village of Dunton Bassett, encroached upon by a smithy, is a dry moat around the site of an ancient hall. The inner side of the moat is defended by earthen walls by which the scarp to the moat attains 7ft., one portion on the west rising to 9 ft. The surrounding area is dyked and banked, and on the eastern side is a spring.

<9> Scheduled Monument List/Amendment, A.M. England & Wales 1958 p.49 (MOW) (Scheduling record). SLE7368.

Scheduled as an Ancient Monument: moated site.

<10> Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Field Investigators Comments, W C Woodhouse/18-JUL-1960 (Website). SLE3488.

The earthworks shown in this rough pasture are part of a number of old field-boundaries formed by substantial banks and ditches. Similar boundaries nearby are still occupied by hedgerows on their banks. It is possible that the earthworks of a former homestead moat were totally incorporated into these boundaries, but the ditches appear to be too slight. No evidence of a former building was seen at the published site; no local knowledge of the site was found.

<11> Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Field Investigators Comments, B H Seaman/03-SEP-1971 (Website). SLE3488.

Two slightly depressed adjacent areas at the published site seem to indicate the site of a former building, but no other evidence could be seen.

<12> 1972-3, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 48, Vol 48 (1972-3), p63 (Journal). SLE5939.

Eight sherds of medieval pottery were found during house building just south of the earthworks.

<13> Scheduled Monument List/Amendment, English Heritage SAM Amendment Leicestershire 10-MAR-1992 (Scheduling record). SLE7368.

SP 5475 9054. Moated site with fishpond at Dunton Bassett.
A sub-rectangular moated site orientated east-west and measuring 60m x 50m with two well-defined arms on the north and east sides 6m wide and 1.5m deep with an internal bank. Traces of a southern arm less than 0.5m deep can be seen parallel to the field boundary. the western arm appears to have been infilled. there are building foundations on the eastern side of the island measuring 12m x 13m and 0.3m high. A fishpond measuring 15m square and embanked on the east is situated on the eastern side of the moat and is connected to it by a channel. Scheduled (RSM) No. 17052.

Sources

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Early Medieval - 1067 AD to 1349 AD)

Designations

• Scheduled Monument 1010915: MOATED SITE WITH FISHPOND AT DUNTON BASSETT

Associated Images

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