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Name:Medieval moat around Hall Farm, Ingarsby
HER Ref:MLE8938
Parish:Hungarton, Harborough, Leicestershire
Grid Reference:SK 6852 0536
Map:Coming soon

Monument Types

  • MOAT (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)

Summary

Three sides of a polygonal moat survive around Hall Farm - presumably it was constructed around the medieval manor house.

Additional Information

Scheduled Monument description extract:
To the north of the village earthworks are the north, west and southern arms of a moated site defining an area with maximum dimensions of approximately 150m square. The moat has an outer bank measuring up to 1.5m high, and is an average of 8-10m wide and 2m deep, with the exception of a section of the northern arm which is up to 20m wide and 3m deep. Enclosed by the moat are some surviving grange buildings incorporated into Tudor and later structures. Earthworks on the eastern side of the moat show an extension of the northern arm and outer bank of the moat for 50m which then turns southward, at which point a large outer mound adjoins the corner. The southward ditch continues, but ceased to function as part of the moat at this point due to an uphill gradient, and represents stock enclosures together with a further ditch crossing it at right angles further up the slope. Some 50m to the east is an outer boundary bank running north-south dropping down 1.5m on the far side.


<1> Hartley, RF, 2018, The medieval earthworks of south and south-east Leicestershire, p157-8 (Bibliographic reference). SLE5736.

"These buildings are surrounded on three sides by a massive moat (t), presumably dating from the 15th century. On the east side the moat is not in evidence, and there is a broadly rectilinear area, enclosed by a bank (u). This would seem likely to be a garden associated with the post-medieval development of the Old Hall. The moat in this area may have been filled in, and the area levelled to create a formal garden with a parterre centred on (v)."

<2> 2016, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning (Website). SLE4981.

SUMMARY: "Late 15th century country house incorporating a moated manor house which was granted to Leicester Abbey as a grange in 1352. The house was altered in 1706 and in the 19th to 20th century. Built of ashlar with plinth of coursed rubble stone in part. The roof is of Swithland slate with brick end stacks and of Welsh slate to the rear of the building. The site includes a Medieval moat, a millpond (built 1352), stock enclosures surviving as earthworks and a 17th century bakehouse."
URL: 'https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/NRHE/RecordDetail.aspx?pageid=45&he_uid=319116', accessioned 09/10/2024.

<3> Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 (6") historic mapping, 1939 (Map). SLE7243.

[SK 68530536] Chapel [G.T.] (Remains of)
[Centred SK 6843 0541] Moat [G.T.]

<4> Annotated Record Map, M P Dare/NOV-1926 (Map). SLE7735.

Ingarsby Old Hall was a grange of Leicester Abbey (hence the chapel) presided over by a resident Canon known as 'Prior of the Grange'. The strong manorial defences evidently occupy the site of an earlier camp though of what period it is difficult to say. There is no traverse visible.

<5> Page, William (ed), 1907, The Victoria County History of the County of Leicester, Volume 1, p213 (Bibliographic reference). SLE1156.

"There seems to be no doubt that a manorial defence, known as `Old Ingarsby Moat' is an adaptation of a string rectangular camp of an earlier period. Its proximity to Billesdon and the discovery of spearheads and other implements [SK 60 NE 16, one LBA] and Roman coins, [see SK 60 NE 8] lead to the same conclusion."

<6> Field Investigators Comments, B H Seaman/21-JAN-1972 (Website). SLE3488.

The village and manorial earthworks remain unchanged since the survey of 1953. The conclusion drawn by VCH that the moat is adapted from an earlier camp seem to have little or no foundation. The Billesdon reference is to the feature at SK 718044, a plateau, bounded on the W and S by an escarpment, previously described as a Roman Camp or promontory fort but almost certainly natural. Of the finds only part of one BA spearhead seems to have been recorded with any accuracy.

<7> Scheduled Monument List/Amendment, English Heritage SAM Amendment Leicestershire 04-JAN-1993 (Scheduling record). SLE7368.

Moated site and deserted medieval village (see also SK 60 NE 9) at Old Ingarsby.
The north, west and southern arms of a moat defining an area of approximately 150m square. The moat has an outer bank up to 1.5m high and is an average of 8-10m wide and 2m deep with the exception of a section of the northern arm which is up to 20m wide and 3m deep. Enclosed by the moat are some surviving grange buildings incorporated into Ingarsby Old Hall which is excluded from the scheduling. Earthworks on the eastern side of the moat show an extension of the northern arm and outer bank of the moat for 50m which then turns south, at which point a large outer mound adjoins the corner. The southward ditch continued but ceased to function as a moat but became stock enclosures. Some 50m to the east is an outer boundary bank running north-south. To the south-west of the moat is a large millpond lying alongside the stream and measuring 200m x 80m formed by damming the valley with a bank up to 2m high and building a bank alongside the stream and scarping on the eastern side of the pond. The manor of the Daungervills was granted to Leicester Abbey in 1352 with the remainder purchased by the mid C15th . The millpond was constructed at the time of the original grant. Scheduled (RSM) No 17069/02.

Sources

<1>Bibliographic reference: Hartley, RF. 2018. The medieval earthworks of south and south-east Leicestershire. p157-8.
<2>Website: 2016. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning.
<3>Map: Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 (6") historic mapping. 1939.
<4>Map: Annotated Record Map. M P Dare/NOV-1926.
<5>Bibliographic reference: Page, William (ed). 1907. The Victoria County History of the County of Leicester, Volume 1. p213.
<6>Website: Field Investigators Comments. B H Seaman/21-JAN-1972.
<7>Scheduling record: Scheduled Monument List/Amendment. English Heritage SAM Amendment Leicestershire 04-JAN-1993.

Associated Finds

    None recorded

Designations

  • Scheduled Monument 1009236: MOATED SITE AND DESERTED MEDIEVAL VILLAGE AT OLD INGARSBY

Associated Images

RFH EWK BILLESDON Ingarsby.jpg
RFH plan of deserted medieval village earthworks at Ingarsby
© Leicestershire County Council