Monument record 0033700000 - SE OF CHURCH

Dimensions - Length 120m, Width 108m.
CHURCH STANDS WITHIN ENTRENCHMENT- SEEMS TO PROTECT FORD ACROSS THAME (B1).
SOME LEVELLING WHEN CHURCHYARD ENLARGED (B2).
WITHIN 1 FIELD, N SIDE BESIDE ROAD. W & S 3M DEEP-BOTTOM TO TOP OF PLATFORM. FLAT BOTTOMED. W & S SUBSTANTIAL BANK. E SIDE EITHER BANK OR SUNKEN AREA FURTHER E (B5).
SCHEDULED: SAM 32109 (B9).

A moated site of medieval date is visible on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data as extant earthworks and was mapped as part of the Aylesbury Vale Aerial Investigation and Mapping project (EBC18604). Located south of St Nicholas' Church, Chearsley, and centred at SP 72069 10261. L shaped earthwork remains of a subrectangular moat are clearly visible on aerial photographs and lidar visualisations. The ditches are approximately 13m wide but have been infilled at the northern end making measuring the whole moat difficult. Linear earthworks of associated features are visible to the east of the moat and possible building platforms can be seen as earthworks around and inside the moat. West of the moat further irregular earthworks of possible former buildings were mapped. West of these, long linear earthworks of possible trackways were mapped. (11-15)




(SP 72101025) Moat (NR) (B16).
Fragments of a homestead moat with an inner rampart (B3). Eastern and northern parts visible on APs (B17).
On a gentle, E-facing pasture slope by Chearsley Church is a dry homestead moat measuring overall c 110.0m square. The arms are circa 19.0m in average width, and vary in depth from 4.0m in she W, with a spoil bank thrown up on its inner side, to 0.6m in the E. The NW and SE angles are mutilated by the dumping of spoil. There is no evidence of a building in the enclosed area; the only distinctive feature being a relatively recent spoil heap towards the SE corner. At SP 72181019 is a depression, c 34.0m long by 12.0m wide, and 0.5m deep. It looks like a dried up fishpond but its position adjacent to the moat "out fall" causes some doubt. Resurveyed at 1:2500 (B18).
NRHE insert 1999 (B18).

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