| Summary : The earthwork and buried remains of a moated site believed to have been built by Reginald Mohun in the early 13th century. By the mid 14th century the estate had passed to the Stanleys, Earls of Derby, who held it for approximately 200 years. It was during this latter period that the moated site is thought to have fallen into disrepair and was abandoned. The moated site is roughly square in plan with external dimensions of approximately 100 metres east-west by 90 metres north-south and the ground falls away to the north. The moat ditches are dry, with the exception of part of the west arm, and some 4.6 metres wide. There are intermittent traces of an inner bank around the perimeter of the moated island which itself retains evidence of slight earthworks. An excavation in the western half of the island in the early 1950s uncovered the foundations of stone buildings, believed to date from the early 13th century, and fragments of painted glass, fine quality pottery and stone-lined drains. The remains of a curtain wall of large ironstone blocks was also located along the inner edge of the western moat ditch. |
More information : (SP 30983457) Moat (GT) (1)
The earthworks a little to the west of Whichford church, described as 'Moat' on the Ordnance Maps, represent a manor-house or castle probably built by Reginald Mohun, lord of the manor, 1204-1213. By the mid-late 14th c. the estate had come to Richard le Strange, only grandchild of the last male Mohun, and subsequently went to the Stanleys, Earls of Derby who continued to hold it for about 200 years. It was probably during this latter period that the manor house decayed and finally disappeared. (2)
"The moat at Whichford is approximately a square enclosing an island of about 200' across or rather more. The buildings, to judge from the irregularities of the ground, were along the western side and a circular depression near the south-west corner suggests the site of a tower... The moat is now some 8 or 9' deep and the bank on the outside is built up to give the necessary depths. Except for part of the west side it is now quite dry; there are several springs on the side of the hill, one of which seems to have been the means of supplying it with water... The earthworks suggest something more than the ordinary homestead moat." (3)
Whichford moated site scheduled as an Ancient Monument. (4)
The moat is at present used as a dump for old cars and a piggery. Disturbance is evident on the island and outside the north entrance but it is entirely amorphous.
Published survey (25") revised. (5)
Scheduled. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. (6 & 9)
Site is used as a camping ground and moat contains water. Modern stone circle erected in the interior of the moated site. (7)
Manor of Whichford in Domesday book was part of Northamptonshire estates of Gilbert de Gand. Manor passed to his grand-daughter Agnes who married William de Mohun. The Mohun family dervied its name from Moyon near St Lo in Normandy. Their principle seat was Dunster Castle in Somerset, but in the first half of the 13th century they built a castle or fortified manor house at Whichford.
No part of the buildings remain visible above ground, but the moat is preserved. The site was excavated by the Ministry of Works in 1953 and traces of the foundations were unearthed.
The last Lord de Mohun, John died in 1376 and his estates passed to his daughters. The youngest (Maud) married Sir John le Strange, through their son, Richard, the estates then passed to the Stanleys, Earls of Derby. (8) |