Monument record 0033400000 - UPPER SOUTH FARM, QUAINTON

Dimensions - Width 0707 Length 0707 cm
Plan Form - SQUARE
CIVIL WAR EARTHWORK DESIGNED AS A BATTERY POSITION FOR A SINGLE CANNON. OPEN HORSESHOE PLAN, WITH A TRIPLE-SIDED DEFENSIVE DITCH, 50M SQUARE OVERALL AND COVERING APPROX 3/4 ACRE. PARALLELS IN LINCOLNSHIRE, DERBYSHIRE, NOTTS & ELSEWHERE. 70M ABOVE SEA LEVEL WITH ALL EMBRACING ZONE OF FIRE. TREE & SCRUB COVERED, BUT IN GOOD CONDITION (B2).
THEORY THAT IT IS A HOMESTEAD MOAT (B1) DISPUTED (B2).
The earthworks could support either interpretation and lack of documentary evidence means function must remain inconclusive. Impact of proposed HS2 rail line assessed. See report for detail (B3).

A possible medieval and/or post medieval moat site or English Civil War battery is visible on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data and was mapped as part of the Aylesbury Vale Aerial Investigation and Mapping project (EBC18604). Located in a field about 375 NE of Lower South Farm and centred at SP 72774 19671,a three-sided ditch is up to 16 metres wide: the W facing side is about 60.5 metres aligned N-S: the N facing side is about 54.5 metres aligned W-E: the S facing side is about 52 metres aligned W-E: The exterior ditch on the W,N and S facing side has linear earthwork banks. A post medieval field boundary has truncated any evidence of a ditch on the E facing side, though a curving fragmented earthwork bank and the 1st Edition OS map dated to the 1880s suggests it may have existed. The centre of the moat comprises a U-shaped platform about 32.5 metres W-E and 20 metres N-S, within which is a irregularly shaped ditch up to 20 metres wide. The evidence for and association with English Civil War activity is unclear from the earthworks’ morphology, which appear to be moat-like rather than military, but perhaps any 17th century conflict activity reused pre-existing settlement earthworks (4-7).




[Once thought to be] A homestead moat about 500 yds north of the small circular moat (SP 71 NW 8) south of Upper South Farm. One arm (east) has been filled in with material from the island which is about 7ft above the level of the moat. (Shown on OS 6" 1958 at SP 72781967 but not described) (B1).
No information on Tithe Map. Published survey (25") revised (B9).
Not a homestead moat. This is a Civil War earthwork designed as a Battery position and constructed to accommodate a single cannon. In dimensions, plan and profile, it parallels other fortifications of this period previously met with in Lincolnshire, Derbyshire, Notts and elsewhere; The plan adopted is the normal 'open horse-shoe' with a triple sided defensive ditch, the complete work measuring 50.0m square overall and covering approx 3/4 acre. Topographically, it is situated some 70.0m above sea level with an all embracing zone of fire. Now tree and shrub covered but in good condition. Published 1:2500 survey revised on AM, see section for vertical dimensions. No surface finds were made at the time of investigation (B10).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.