Monument record 0023600000 - 550M N OF WOTTON HOUSE

Summary

Probable medieval moat seen on aerial photographs. Field investigations carried out in 1977 found it measured 40 metres by 35 metres and had no evidence of a building within the enclosure. The moat comprised a well-defined ditch 10 metres wide and between 0.7 - 1.0 metres deep on the south and east sides. At the northwest corner a pond had been constructed by widening the moat. A probable causewayed entrance was situated midway along the north side.

Protected Status/Designation

Archaeological Notification Area: Earthworks of probable medieval moat (DBC8993)

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Type and Period (1)

MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Description

Plan Form - RECTANGULAR
PROBABLE MOATED SITE WITH ANCILLIARY ENCLOSURES VISIBLE ON APS 550M N OF WOTTON HOUSE(B1). EXISTENCE OF DRY MOAT CONFIRMED ON GROUND. APPROX DIMENSIONS OF ISLAND 42M E/W BY 35M N/S. TRACES OF SUBSIDIARY ENCLOSURES TO S (B2).

SP 6846 1671. A rectangular moated site with subsidiary enclosure attached to the S, discovered from APs. (B3-B4)

Centred at SP 68441673 is a homestead moat, now mainly dry, and situated on level pasture with no obvious original source of water other than surface drainage. The interior, of approximately 0.25 ha., measures 40.0m by 35.0m and is at normal ground level. There is no evidence of a building within the enclosure. It is encompassed by a well-defined ditch 10.0m wide and 0.7 - 1.0m deep on the S and E sides. On the W the ditch is partly infilled. At the NW corner a pond has been constructed by widening the moat. There is a probable causewayed entrance midway along the N. side.
The subsidiary enclosure referred to (1) is perhaps a small, low field bank enclosing about 0.5 ha to the S. of the moat. It does not seem directly associated with the moat and may be a later feature.
Moat surveyed at 1:2500 on PFD (B5).

NRHE insert 1998 (B6).

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

Sources (10)

---SBC17262 Aerial Photograph: 01/07/75. BCM A1/3/13-14. SP\685167. Yes.
---SBC17864 Aerial Photograph: 23/06/52. CUC HP 35. SP\684168. Yes.
---SBC17865 Aerial Photograph: 23/06/52. CUC HP 36. SP\683164. Yes.
---SBC17868 Aerial Photograph: 23/06/52. CUC HP 37. SP\683168. Yes.
<1>SBC8090 Bibliographic reference: M.E.FARLEY,FROM CAMB.UNIV.ST JOSEPH A/P'S HP 35-37 AND BCM PHOTOS..
<2>SBC5335 Bibliographic reference: FIELD VISIT:M.E.FARLEY, DEC.1972.
<3>SBC25929 Article in serial: County Museum Archaeological Group. 1973. "Moated Sites in Buckinghamshire - A List", in Records of Buckinghamshire Volume 19, Part 3, 1973, pages 336-339.
<4>SBC28490 Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1947. RAF CPE/UK/2159 4095-7, 13.6.47.
<5>SBC28499 Verbal communication: John Gilbert Barton. 1977. Field Investigator Comments - F1 JGB 04-MAR-77.
<6>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE).

Location

Grid reference	Centred SP 6845 1673 (60m by 60m)
Civil Parish	WOTTON UNDERWOOD, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Event - Survey: (EBC13949)

Record last edited

Dec 3 2025 11:18AM