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Monument Types

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

Summary

A well preserved medieval moated manorial complex.

Additional Information

<1> Historic England, National Heritage List for England, https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1008462 (Website). SLE7874.

Scheduled Monument description extract:
"The moated site at Empingham is situated on the north bank of the river Gwash to the west of the village. It comprises a large rectangular moat, fishponds to the south-west, and garden plots and enclosures to the north and east. The moat, which lies with its longest axis parallel to the river, measures approximately 110m x 60m with a ditch 12m wide and more than 3m deep in the northern arm. There is a stone entrance causeway on the north west side. On the southern side there is an external bank with a channel leading towards the river, with less well defined signs of an outer bank on the east. Evidence of structures exists on the island in the form of stonework foundations defining the outline of a building. To the west is a fishpond 80m in length, 15m wide and 1.5m deep connected by channels to the moat; a second fishpond to the south which is 50m long, lies parallel to the river, and is part water-filled. North of the moat, terraces cut into the hillside are identified as garden or orchard plots which were part of the manorial complex. To the west of this, a hollow way comes down from the north and cuts across a number of banks identified as enclosure boundaries. Most moats were built between 1250 and 1350, although a documentary reference of 1221 indicates that the example at Empingham may be earlier. It refers to Ralph de Normanville obtaining six oaks from the king for the hall."
Scheduled 20/02/1953, most recent amendment 27/01/1994.

<2> Hartley R F, 1983, The Medieval Earthworks of Rutland, p14 & p17 (Bibliographic reference). SLE601.

"Adjacent to the river is a broad moat 1-1.5m in depth, with a causeway at the west corner. South of this, and enclosing a platform, are two fishponds (2, 3), and on the north side is a terrace (4) cut into the hillside, which might have been a garden or orchard. The moat platform has traces of building foundations."

<3> Brown, AE, 1975, Archaeological sites and finds in Rutland (Bibliographic reference). SLE5999.

Brown suggests, tentatively, that this may be the site of the hall for which Ralph de Normanville obtained 6 oaks from the king in 1221. (VCH R2: 242-3)

<4> 1992, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 66, Vol 66 (1992), p184-5 (Journal). SLE5935.

In 1991-2 excavations were undertaken adjacent to the standing earthwork site in advance of the bypassing and replacing of a high pressure water main. Several phases of activity were identified, including: medieval fishpond earthwork construction and post-medieval bank protection measures.

<5> Beamish, M, 1992, Hall Close. Empingham, Pipeline excavations. (Unpublished document). SLE1492.

1991-2 excavations.

<6> Firmin, Cathy (ed), 1993, Rutland Record, No. 13, No. 13 (1993), p144-5 (Journal). SLE6549.

1991/1992 excavations for the water main recorded several phases of activity, with fishpond earthwork construction in the medieval period, and bank protection measures in the post-medieval period.

<7> 2016, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning (Website). SLE4981.

SUMMARY: "Moat, two fishponds, garden terraces and enclosure surviving as earthworks. Probably associated with manor house mentioned 1221 and still visible as stone foundations on moat island?"
URL: 'https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/NRHE/RecordDetail.aspx?pageid=45&he_uid=325140', accessioned 20/01/2025.

<8> Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 (6") and 10K historic mapping, 1958 (Map). SLE7243.

[SK 9479 0825] Moat [GT].

<9> Scheduled Monument List/Amendment, List of Ancient Monuments 1955, p.56 (M.O.W.) (Scheduling record). SLE7368.

Scheduled.

<9> Page W (ed), 1935, The Victoria History of the County of Rutland Volume 2, p242 (Bibliographic reference). SLE913.

The moat in Hall Close marks the site of the ancient manor house, no doubt the hall which Ralph de Normanville was building in 1221.

<10> Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Field Investigators Comments, F R Harper/20-OCT-1961 (Website). SLE3488.

The moat; building remains evident on the island; and associated fishponds were all surveyed.

<11> Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Field Investigators Comments, J Baird/06-JUL-1971 (Website). SLE3488.

Published survey of 1968 still correct.

<12> Scheduled Monument List/Amendment, English Heritage SAM Amendment Leicestershire 27-JAN-1994 (Scheduling record). SLE7368.

SK 9475 0826. Moated site with fishponds and enclosures at Empingham.
The moat, which lies with its longest axis parallel to the river, measures approximately 110m x 60m with a ditch 12m wide and more than 3m deep in the northern arm. There is a stone entrance causeway on the north-west side. On the southern side there is an external bank with channel leading towards the river, with less well-defined signs of an outer bank on the east. Evidence of structures exists on the island in the form of stonework foundations defining the outline of a building. To the west is a fishpond 80m in length, 15m wide and 1,5m deep connected by channels to the moat; a second fishpond to the south is 50m long. North of the moat, terraces cut into the hillside are identified as garden or orchard plots which were part of the manorial complex. To the west of this, a hollow way comes down from the north and cuts across a number of banks identified as enclosure boundaries.
Most moats were built between 1250 and 1350, although a documentary reference of 1221 indicates that Empingham may be earlier.
Scheduled (RSM) No 17022

Sources

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Early Medieval - 1067 AD to 1349 AD)
• SHERD (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)

Designations

• Scheduled Monument 1008462: MOATED SITE WITH FISHPONDS AND ENCLOSURES AT EMPINGHAM

Associated Images

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