Monument record 0042500000 - C.350YDS.NW.OF CHURCH

Summary

Earthworks of Medieval moat recorded in field surveys - A medieval moated site located to the west of the village of Grendon Underwood, at the foot of a broad slope descending from the parish church towards a narrow brook known as the River Ray. The brook runs alongside and to the north of the north west arm of the moat which, at about 130 metres, is the longest arm in a trapezoidal circuit. The island enclosed by this circuit has a maximum length of 100 metres and is some 40 metres in width to the south west and 20 metres to the north east. The surface of the island is quite level. The moat, which averages 7 metres in width and 1.2 metres in depth, is thought to have been fed by surface water. It is now dry, apart from a single pond created within the south eastern arm. The western arms of the moat are flanked by a low external bank, which may have resulted from the periodic cleaning of the ditch during the period of the occupation. Access to the island was provided by a narrow causeway near the centre of the south eastern arm of the moat and a corresponding gap in the inner bank. The entrance is orientated towards the village on the hillside above, and the parish church which is thought to have originated in the 12th century.

Protected Status/Designation

Archaeological Notification Area: Well-preserved earthworks of Medieval moat (DBC8935)
Scheduled Monument 1017511: MOATED SITE 320M NORTH WEST OF ST LEONARD'S CHURCH (DBC7200)
SHINE: Bolbec Castle medieval castle mound earthwork (DBC7473)
SHINE: Bolbec Castle medieval castle mound earthwork (DBC7473)
SHINE: Bolbec Castle medieval castle mound earthwork (DBC7473)

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Type and Period (1)

MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Description

Plan Form - IRREGULAR
Homestead moat (Area SP 674211), about 350 yds NW of the church (B1).
WELL PRESERVED; FILLS ENTIRE FIELD. WOODEN SHED ON PLATFORM. PHOTO (B2).
SITED ALONG DEEP CUT STREAM. INTERIOR C.82M NE/SW X 28M NW/SE & 0.25 HA. NO EVIDENCE OF BUILDINGS. ENCLOSED AREA SURROUNDED BY BANK, DITCH & OUTER BANK. BREAK OF 10M IN SE SIDE & CAUSEWAY, ORIGINAL? (B3).
SCHEDULED SAM 29404 (B4).

Surveyed at 1:2500 at SP 67412111 (B5).
SP 67412111. A well preserved irregular moat situated alongside a deeply cut stream. The interior, on average 82.0m NE-SW by 28.0m NW-SE and 0.25 ha is at natural ground level, and shows no evidence of buildings. the enclosed area is surrounded by a bank, ditch and outer bank. The inner bank is 8.0m wide and 0.5m high, except on the NE side, where it is only 0.2m high, and at the corners, 0.8m high.
There is a break, of 10.0m, in the SE side with a corresponding causeway across the ditch; both probably original. The ditch, 7.0m wide and 1.2m deep is almost dry, being drained at its W angle where a break in the outer bank, 8.0m wide and 0.4m high, may have been an original overflow. The outer bank is untraceable on the NE and SE sides. The moat was probably fed by surface drainage; the NE side has been disturbed by a pipeline.
1:2500 survey revised (B6).

NRHE insert 1998 (B7).

Sources (8)

---SBC17446 Aerial Photograph: 02/02/94. BCM A20/8/25-30. SP\677210. Yes.
<1>SBC20467 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1913. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire. Volume 2. p131.
<2>SBC5311 Bibliographic reference: 1971. M E FARLEY, FIELD VISIT DEC 1971.
<3>SBC11331 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. 1977. OS RECORD CARD MARCH 1977.
<4>SBC23984 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1997. SCHEDULING LIST OF INSPECTORATE OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
<5>SBC28492 Verbal communication: Bernard Harley Seaman. 1973. Field Investigators Comments - F1 BHS 18-JUL-73.
<6>SBC28645 Verbal communication: Christopher Paul Chaplin. 1977. Field Investigators Comments - F2 CC 03-MAR-77.
<7>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE).

Location

Grid reference	Centred SP 67401 21114 (180m by 123m) (2 map features)
Civil Parish	GRENDON UNDERWOOD, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Event - Survey: Topographic earthwork survey (EBC17893)
Event - Survey: Topographic earthwork survey (EBC17894)

Record last edited

Dec 12 2025 3:57PM