Monument record 0017500000 - BRAY'S WOOD, LEE

Dimensions - Length 150m, Width 80m.
Plan Form - Rectilinear.
(SP 915042) Earthwork. Marked as Roman Camp on old OS map, & in early refs (B3-8).
Earthworks appear to be Medieval homestead in the form of 2 moated enclosures (01:000, 02:000)(B11).
Smaller eastern enclosure has stronger bank & ditch & ?house platform, while western enclosure probably for cattle/outbuilding (B2,B9-10).
Measured earthwork survey carried out by Dan Secker in summer 2003. Report includes reconsideration of evidence, interpretation and reconstruction of remains and description of surface finds of stone, pottery and tile. Building interpreted as 12th century stone house, possibly held by an important member of Hugh (II) de Bolbec's household (B14-15).


(SP 91630470). Several fragments of blue pottery and the handle of a rude amphora recognised by Faulkner of Deddington, as being Roman were found in the entrenchments at Bray Wood. (See plan) (B3).
Moated homestead, Brays Wood. An originally rectangular enclosure measuring 196 x 76 paces, with fosse and vallum of very slight relief, containing a second enclosure of much smaller area but much greater strength. It is a square of 50 yards or rather less, surrounded by a considerable ditch, with entrances east and west and the western side, exactly as at Reddingwick (SP 90 SW 8) is covered by a second parallel fosse. In the SW corner of this inner enclosure are the foundations of a rectangular building of flints apparently laid without mortar. On the eastern side was an annexe, of which the enclosing lines ran down to a pond now ploughed out. To all appearances the ditches communicated with this pond and with one another so that they must be presumed to have been once wet. Pottery of "Roman" character is said to have been found on the spot, but it may be doubted whether it is not rather medieval (B9).
A moated site; 16th or 17th century tiles were found recently on the site (B10).
A ditched enclosure of irregular construction situated on level wooded ground. Measuring overall c 60.0m square the width of the ditch varies from c 7.0m on the S side to 3.0m on the N, and the depth from 1.2m to 0.3m. A narrow causewayed entrance is on the E side. An internal and contemporary ditch about 3.0m wide and 1.0m deep runs parallel with the W arm. Its purpose is uncertain. In the SW corner is a raised rectangular 'platform' c 20 x 10m, with a central depression and a heavy scatter of large flint indicating a former structure. The outlying works to the E (Auth 1) have been obliterated by ploughing, and those shown to the W and S on the OS 6" have largely been destroyed by forestation. 16th and 17th c finds are consistent with the appearance of this work. Published survey (25") revised (B11).

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