Monument record 0000301000 - E OF HULCOTT CHURCH

Summary

Medieval or post-medieval moated site recorded in field survey - A medieval moated site east of All Saint's Church and 450 metres west of the River Thame. The moated site includes a roughly square island measuring 76 metres in width and level with the surrounding ground surface. The island is contained by a water-filled ditch which measures up to 8 metres wide and at least 1 metre in depth. An outer bank, measuring a maximum of 7 metres wide and 0.8 metres in height and thought to represent upcast from the ditch, is visible on the east side of the moat. An inner bank, measuring on average 6 metres wide by 0.75 metres high, is visible on all four sides. The local antiquarian, JJ Sheahan noted in 1861 that the foundations of a building were discovered on the island during the planting of fruit trees and such remains may account for slight undulations visible towards the northern side. Given its proximity to the church the maot is likely to mark the site of the original manor of Hulcott. Scheduled.

Protected Status/Designation

Scheduled Monument 1018670: MOATED SITE IMMEDIATELY EAST OF ALL SAINT'S CHURCH (DBC7088)

Map

Find a placename, postcode or grid reference

Map layers

Base layers

Info

Record list

Tools

Type and Period (3)

MOAT (Medieval to Post-Medieval - 1066 AD to 1798 AD)
PLATFORM (Medieval to Post-Medieval - 1066 AD to 1798 AD?)
BANK (EARTHWORK) (Medieval to Post-Medieval - 1066 AD to 1798 AD?)

Description

Plan Form - SQUARE
ANCIENT MOAT, NO REMAINS OF MANSION WHICH IT NO DOUBT ONCE SURROUNDED. FOUNDATIONS FOUND IN PLANTING TREES IN INTERIOR (B1).
QUADRANGULAR MOAT WITH ENTRANCE AT NW CORNER (B2).
HOMESTEAD MOAT: VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF ITS CLASS (B3).
'MOAT' MARKED CENTRED AT NGR (B4).
SCHEDULED: SAM NO.32110 (B7).
Bierton and Hulcott Inclosure Award shows moat and connecting drain to fishponds to the E (CAS 02274) (B8).

A medieval and/or post medieval moated site is visible on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data as earthworks and was mapped as part of the Aylesbury Vale Aerial Investigation and Mapping project (EBC18604). Located immediately N of Manor Farm and centred at SP 85395 16722, a roughly square moat ditch is between 6 and 10 metres wide. The S facing side about 88 metres long aligned W-E: the E facing side is about 95 metres long aligned S-N: the N facing side is about 101 metres long aligned E-W and the W facing side is about 93 metres long aligned N-S. At each corner there is a small extension of the moat ditch of between 10 and 20 metres. The moat encloses an internal platform about 76 x 76 metres. On the outside of the E facing moat ditch is a linear earthwork bank aligned N-S and about 74 x 9.5 metres. On aerial photographs taken in 2023 and recent remote sensing data , the earthworks remain visible (9-11).

What appears to be additional moating is shown (4)(at SP 85571675 and 85721678). Fragments are visible on air photographs (B12 and 13).
At SP 85381674 is a square, water-filled moat, measuring circa 95.0m square overall, with arms c 10.0m wide. There is an entrance causeway across the south arm, and an internal spoil bank alongside the east arm. No building foundations are visible in the enclosed area. In the areas SP 855167 and SP 857167 are vague depressions, which form no intelligible pattern; their relatively small dimensions make it unlikely that they were moats. Published survey (25") revised (B14)
The island stands 0.4m above the surrounding levels. Water inlet is by stream into the north-east angle, an outlet cannot be traced. The present Manor House, south of the moat, is Victorian with later fitments. No change to survey of 16.6.73 (B15).

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 (16)

---SBC17308 Aerial Photograph: 01/04/76. BCM A1/8/24-25. SP\854167. Yes.
---SBC17449 Aerial Photograph: 02/02/94. BCM A20/8/5-7. SP\854167. Yes.
<1>SBC19727 Bibliographic reference: James Joseph Sheahan. 1862. History and Topography of Buckinghamshire. p164.
<2>SBC20461 Bibliographic reference: William Page (ed). 1908. A History of Buckinghamshire (Victoria County History) Volume II. Volume 2. pp30, 342-343.
<3>SBC20466 Bibliographic reference: Royal Commision on Historical Monuments. 1912. Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire Volume 1. Volume 1. p212.
<4>SBC10378 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1958. OS 1958 1:10560 MAP. 1:10,560.
<7>SBC13934 Scheduling record: SCHEDULING LIST OF INSPECTORATE OF ANCIENT MONUMENTS DECEMBER 1998 (COPY, FILED).
<8>SBC19357 Map: 1780. Bierton and Hulcott Inclosure Award 1780.
<9>SBC27153 Aerial Photograph: Historic England. 2025. RAF-541-479 RP 3182 07-APR-1950.
<10>SBC25062 Digital archive: Environment Agency. Environment Agency LiDAR data. LIDAR SP81NE Environment Agency National LIDAR Programme DTM 1 Metre dated 2021 SP8516.
<11>SBC25596 Aerial Photograph: Historic England. 2022. Next Perspectives APGB Imagery. 04-JUN-2023 SP8516.
<12>SBC29125 Map: Ordnance Survey. OS 2" Drawing No 155 1813 - Annotated Record Map.
<13>SBC29126 Aerial Photograph: Royal Air Force. 1950. RAF 541/479/4144-5, 07-MAR-1950.
<14>SBC29127 Verbal communication: 1974. Field Investigators Comments - F1 PAS 16-JUN-74.
<15>SBC29128 Verbal communication: F D Colquhoun. 1977. Field Investigators Comments - F2 FDC 08-JUL-77.
<16>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE). Insert 1999; Update 2002.

Location

Grid reference	Centred SP 85392 16717 (103m by 120m)
Civil Parish	HULCOTT, Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Part of: HULCOTT MANOR (Monument) (0000300000)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Event - Survey: Aerial investigation and mapping project (Ref: 9179) (EBC18604)

Record last edited

Feb 13 2026 2:28PM