Monument record 0013600000 - WNW OF MOAT FARM

Summary

Medieval moat surviving as earthworks, recorded in field surveys - A medieval moated site to the north of Aston Clinton and immediately west of the village of Buckland. The island is rectangular, surrounded by a water-filled ditch measuring on average 8 metres in width and some 2 metres deep. The interior measures some 76 metres from north east to south west by 34 metres north west to south east and its level surface stands about 0.5 metres above its immediate surroundings, no doubt through the use of material originally excavated to form the moat. Nothing now remains of the principal dwelling or ancillary buildings which would have stood upon the island, although the antiquarian, JJ Sheahan reported in 1862 that the 'foundations of ancient buildings have frequently been found upon the moat'. The northern corner of the moat is connected to a water-filled extension, similar in width, which continues to the north west for 40 metres. This is thought to have originated as a fishpond in which stocks of fish could be raised before being transferred to the moat. Buckland's Tithe Map of 1843 shows a second extension, attached to the eastern corner of the moat and running to the south east for 70 metres. This feature, also considered to be a fishpond, has been partly infilled in more recent years leaving only the most westerly section (some 45 metres in length) visible as an isolated pond.

Protected Status/Designation

  • Archaeological Notification Area: Earthworks of Medieval moat at Moat Farm (DBC9055)
  • Scheduled Monument 1016773: MOATED SITE IMMEDIATELY NORTH WEST OF MOAT FARM (DBC7128)

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Type and Period (2)

  • MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • WATER CHANNEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Description

Dimensions - Length 85m, Width 46m.
Plan Form - Rectangular.
A deep moat encompassing about an acre of garden land, in which foundations of ancient buildings have frequently been met with. This is doubtless the site of a mansion of some importance (B1).
Homestead moat west of Moat Farm (B2).
Moat of irregular quadrangular form (B3).
Rectangular, waterfilled homestead moat, 85m X 46m, with an average width of 7m, & depth of 1.5m. 2 waterfilled extensions of E arm. No trace of any building found within enclosed area. Published 1:2500 survey revised (B5).
Well preserved with 2 subsidiary arms running from N corner & E corner. Holds water on all sides. Causeway across. Heavy cattle use on island. Recent dumping of rubbish on SW side [1971] (B6).
Scheduled in December 1998: SAM 32104 (B7).

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 approximately 160m west of Moat Farm (formerly Chapman’s Farm), Buckland and centred at SP 88454 12628. This subrectangular moat measure 80x40m and is between 7-12m wide. It encloses a platform which appears level on lidar visualisations but may an uneven surface on the 1940s aerial photographs, but it was not clear enough to map any features. A water channel is visible joining the northern corner and the eastern corner. Historic mapping shows a bridge crossing the moat on the southern side and this appears to be visible on lidar visualisations but tree cover obscures this on aerial photographs. (8-9)


(SP 88451262) Moat (NR) (B4).

Sources (10)

  • <1>SBC19727 Bibliographic reference: James Joseph Sheahan. 1862. History and Topography of Buckinghamshire. p109.
  • <2>SBC20466 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1912. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire Volume 1. Volume 1. p68.
  • <3>SBC20461 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1908. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume II. Volume 2. pp30, 327.
  • <4>SBC10400 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1960. OS 1960 6-INCH MAP. 1:10,560.
  • <5>SBC10628 Unpublished document: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. OS RECORD CARD.
  • <6>SBC4841 Verbal communication: Mike Farley (BCM). 1971. PERS COMM, FEBRUARY 1971, FOLLOWING FIELD VISIT.
  • <7>SBC13932 Scheduling record: English Heritage. 1998. SCHEDULING LIST OF INSPECTORATE OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS.
  • <8>SBC26974 Aerial Photograph: Historic England. 1944. US/7PH/GP/LOC205 RP 3012 07-Mar-1944.
  • <9>SBC25062 Digital archive: Environment Agency. Environment Agency LiDAR data. LIDAR SP8812 Environment Agency 1m DTM Composite 2020 date accessed 09-Mar-2023.
  • <10>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE). Insert 1999.

Location

Grid reference Centred SP 88469 12639 (153m by 123m)
Civil Parish BUCKLAND, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (4)

  • Event - Survey: Aerial investigation and mapping project (Ref: 9179) (EBC18604)
  • Event - Survey: Site visit (EBC13939)
  • Event - Survey: Topographic earthwork survey (EBC17649)
  • Event - Survey: Topographic earthwork survey (EBC17650)

Record last edited

Feb 17 2026 3:29PM

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