More information : (TL 407 907) Moat (NR)
Manor House moat (probably late in date) is 350ft square and
about 10ft wide except at the NW corner where it is a pond.
This manor belonged to Ely and was a seat of the bishops,
Bishop Balsham dying here in 1286. In 1356 the house and other
buildings including a chapel were in good repair. It ceased to
be used as a manor before 1808 and was converted into a farm
(apparently modern).
Remains of Manor House moat.
The Manor House appears entirely of 19th/20th C brick
construction and incorporates no earlier material according to
the owner, Mr M Mair, who has no knowledge of an earlier house
on the site. However, Mr Mair states that during demolition of
farm buildings at TL 4077 9072 in 1967 a stone gable end with
blocked narrow pointed arches was uncovered. No action was
taken, and the wall was demolished.
Surrounding the house is a moat about 120.0m square overall
with waterfilled arms from about 4.0m to 12.0m in width. The
arms have been greatly recut and shaped in recent years, and
about 20.0m length of the W arm has been filled in. Further
re-cutting is planned. The original entrance is probably that
central to the W arm, causeways across the N arm and SE corner
being modern.
To the immediate S and SE of the moat, in a ploughed field, is
a medium scatter of Md/post Md tile and pottery.
Three regular cut ponds in series are shown on the OS 25"
(1924) on the NW side of the moat at TL 4074 9081. They are
suggestive of fishponds, but no trace now exists in a level
pastured field and Mr Mair states there was no trace of them
when he took residence in 1960.
Published survey (moat) revised on MSD at 1:2500.
TL 40779071. By the late 15th century, the manor of Doddington was no longer being used as a bishops' residence. By 1602 it was in the ownership of Sir John Peyton, in whose family it remained until the end of the 19th century. A survey of 1356 records the manor house lying within a walled enclosure and comprising a hall, principal chamber, cloister, pantry, buttery and other chambers. Within the same walls were a kitchen, brewhouse, chapel, lodgings, dovehouse, granary, stables and a gatehouse. An earlier survey, caried out in 1221, refers to vaccaries and fishponds, which are thought to have been located to the south-west of the house. Scheduled. (6)
|