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Summary

A house at Moistown is recorded in the mid 15th century. The final house on the site which is shown on 19th century mapping was apparently demolished some time after 1971 when the walls were knocked into the cellar.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS60NW/39

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FARMSTEAD (First mentioned, XV - 1450 AD to 1450 AD)

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

'Moistown' shown on 19th century map as a group of buildings around a squarish yard with a 'Well' to the west and a detached rectangular building to the north-west on the east side of an orchard.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Moistown' shown on early 20th century map with only the north-eastern and north-western buildings remaining.

Ordnance Survey, 1964, SS60NW (Cartographic). SDV343257.

Two buildings remain at 'Moistown' on the 1964 map.

Warham, S., 2006, The Enigma of Moyestown Court (Un-published). SDV325693.

The earliest reference to Moyestown Court is in 1641 when it was known as Moyes and owned by John Francis Olde, Yeoman of Clawton. Details from deeds and census returns given. A documentary reference of 1875 refers to woodland, orchards and cellars in the house. It is shown on the 1880s first edition Ordnance Survey map as Moistown, a large property laid out with tree-lined walks, pond, well and orchards. Apparently demolished some time after 1971 when the walls were knocked into the cellar and the stone used about the farm. Survives as grass-covered mounds and some dressed stone is still visible. The lane that led to it also survives as do the pond and well.

Warham, S., 2009, ACE Archaeology Club's National Archaeology Festival Event at Moistown, Pattiland Farm, Broadwoodkelly, 7-8 (Article in Serial). SDV343258.

Property records indicate that Moistown was a large house which existed circa 1450 but the Moyes family who owned it were recorded in Broadwoodkelly from 1301. Moyestown is also known to have been owned by the Gostwick family, one of whose members was Master of Hounds to Henry VIII. The remains of Moistown are being cleared of vegetaion and in 2009 the foundations of two rooms of the house were uncovered.

Warham, S., 2009, ACE Archaeology Club's National Archaeology Festival Event at Moistown, Pattiland Farm, Broadwoodkelly, 7-8 (Article in Serial). SDV360499.

Archaeological survey at Moistown continues. Moistown is documented circa 1450, although the Moyes family who owned it are recorded in Broadwoodkelly much earlier, in 1301. The property was also owned by the Gostwick family, one of whose members was Master of Hounds to Henry VIII.

Warham, S., 2010, The History of Moistown. Part 4 (Un-published). SDV347470.

Moistown is listed as one of the properties owned by the Kayleway family in the will of John Kayleway, died 1530.

Daynes, J., 2013, Moistown Archaeology Project, Interim Report for 2013 (Report - Interim). SDV357209.

An earthwork survey was undertaken in 2013 which showed the holloway approach to the farmstead. The holloway opens out at the southern end onto a relatively level area which is defined by a steep man-made scarp to the east and west. The eastern scarp is well-preserved in places with what appears to be a double bank and ditch. The fact that the western scarp is as well-preserved is unsurprising as the Tithe Map shows that buildings, which have since been demolished, were cut into it. were excavated in 2013.
Following the earthwork survey a programme of excavation was instigated. Two trenches were excavated. Trench 1 was positioned in order to define the nature of the settlement scarp. Trench 2 was positioned over the buildings shown on the Tithe and Ordnance Survey maps. The progress of Trench 1 was limited but the tops of the double bank were revealed. In Trench 2 mostly mostly building rubble was cleared; the even spread of soot and chimney residue suggesting that this was a demolition spread rather than a chimney collapse. A total of 276 finds were recovered dating from the medieval period onwards. These included pot sherds, nails, glass and an early Victorian halfpenny.

Daynes, J. + Howard, W., 2013, The Moistown Archaeological Project Excavation Outline, 2013 (Report - Excavation). SDV357249.

The Moistown Archaeological Excavation Project seeks to enhance our existing archaeological knowledge of the site and to answer questions that have arisen during work undertaken to date. This research has been addressed using a multifaceted approach. The site was first examined using historical documentary evidence, with plane table and offset survey carried out across the entire site to record existing earthworks. This was followed by geophysical survey (earth resistance) and dowsing.

Daynes, J., 2015, Moistown Archaeological Project. Interim Report for 2014. Excavation
Interim Report for 2014
Excavation (Report - Interim). SDV359653.

Trench 2 was reopened for the 2014 season. More demolition rubble was cleared revealing several distinct areas of cobbles. The large area of cobbles in the centre of the trench appear to be internal as they are small, fairly level and neatly set. They are separated from the larger, external cobbles by robbed out door thresholds. A section of possible walling was also revealed in the north-easterly side of the trench but it was not possible to tell if this was an in situ wall or building rubble.
A total of 488 finds were recorded including medieval and post medieval pottery, nails, clay pipe stems, glass (both window and table) and floor tiles. A musket ball was also found within the exterior cobbles at the north-westerly end of the trench.

Warham, S., March 2011, The History of Moistown. Part 5 (Article in Serial). SDV347715.

History of ownership of Moistown given from circa 1530 to 1693.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV6588 - Excavations at Moistown, Broadwoodkelly
• EDV6994 - Excavation at Moistown, Broadwoodkelly

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