Monument Number 70363 |
| Hob Uid: 70363 | |
Location :
Shropshire
Shrewsbury
|
| Grid Ref : SJ5014016020 |
| Summary : Medieval moated site of Harlescott House. No records of the building are known other than that in 1417 there is a report that the body of one slain at the battle of Shrewsbury had lain at Harlescott. A staircase and panelling in the present house, which stands outside the moat, may have come from the old house. The area was later used as an ornamental garden, at which time the moat was apparently stone lined. The rectangular island measures 46m by 40m, the arms being between 12-15m wide. Excavation of the island in 1960 prior to landscaping found no sign of foundations, which had probably been removed by gardening operations, and recovered only some 13th century sherds. The site has now been encroached upon by housing. |
More information : [SJ 50141602] Moat [GT] (1)
All traces of the original Harlescott House have disappeared and no records of it are known other than that in 1417 there is a report that the body of one of the slain at the Battle of
Shrewsbury had lain at Harlescott.
An oak staircase and panelling in the present house, which stands outside the moat, may have come from the old house. The moat was lined with masonry on both sides. (2)
Quadrangular moat at Harlescott House. (3)
Part of a Md? vessel found in dredging the moat in 1950. In the possession of Mr M Peele. (4)
Excavations were made by the Shrewsbury Research Group in 1960, within the moated area, in advance of land-scaping by the Boro' Council.
Blakeway (a) mentions a house on the site but no structures, floors or hearths were found or any traces of occupation. There were no finds except a handful of small potsherds from the 13th c. ? to date. It is probable that gardening operations have cleared away all traces of the building. Blakeway mentions a line of masonry which could not be found but as he suggests the building was timber-framed, the absence of structural remains may also be explained by the relatively slight foundations required for such a building. A large prob. 13th c. potsherd found when the moat was drained is in Mr Peele's possession. The author was told that "13th c. pitchers had been found at a particular point on the moat edge but enquiries failed to substantiate this and digging at the place produced nothing. (5)
An annotated re-survey has been made. The masonry lining to the moat has apparently been added when the moat was first laid out as an ornamental garden. Mr. Barker confirmed the published details of the 1960 excavation. (6)
Houses have now been built all around this moat and landscaping has resulted in the slopes being 'smoothed off'. (7)
Noted in list of moated sites in Shropshire. SJ 502160. Remains of buildings noted. (8)
SJ 502 160. Harlescott Grange moated site. Scheduled. (9) |