Building crop mark, possibly 'Corbier Hall'

Summary

Corbier Hall located 250m SSW of Court Farm.

Reasons for Designation

Around 6,000 moated sites are known in England. They consist of wide ditches, often or seasonally water-filled, partly or completely enclosing one or more islands of dry ground on which stood domestic or religious buildings. In some cases the islands were used for horticulture. The majority of moated sites served as prestigious aristocratic and seigneurial residences with the provision of a moat intended as a status symbol rather than a practical military defence. The peak period during which moated sites were built was between about 1250 and 1350 and by far the greatest concentration lies in central and eastern parts of England. However, moated sites were built throughout the medieval period, are widely scattered throughout England and exhibit a high level of diversity in their forms and sizes. They form a significant class of medieval monument and are important for the understanding of the distribution of wealth and status in the countryside. Many examples provide conditions favourable to the survival of organic remains.

Despite some disturbance in the past, Corbier Hall survives well with buried remains visible as crop marks on aerial photographs. The site has only been partially excavated and holds potential for further archaeological investigation. It will contain below-ground archaeological and environmental information relating to the construction, layout and occupation of the manor house and to the landscape in which it was constructed.

History

See Details.

Details

This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes a medieval house and moated site, known as Corbier Hall, surviving as buried remains. It is situated on gently sloping ground near Honeyhills Wood at the foot of the North Downs. Partial excavation has revealed stone foundations and a cellar, as well the likely remains of a surrounding moat. The medieval house has also been recorded as a crop mark on aerial photographs indicating a rectangular building, approximately 30m long by 15m wide, orientated WNW to ESE. There appears to be a central ‘partition’ running the length of the building. Attached at a right-angle to the west side of the south wall is another possible rectangular building, approximately 21m long by 12m wide. The remains of the moat surrounding the medieval house are also evident as a broad crop mark on aerial photographs.

Corbier Hall is thought to have been built in the late 14th century during the reign of Richard II (1377-1399). It was partially excavated in 1862 when stone foundations and a cellar were uncovered. An archaeological evaluation to the south of the site in 1996 uncovered a broad ditch considered to be the remains of the moat. The site was also recorded as part of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME) Kent Mapping Project carried out in 1986-7. This produced 1:10,000 scale depictions of crop marks identified on oblique and vertical aerial photographs taken across Kent. A rectangular building with a central ‘partition’, closely resembling that recorded from aerial photographs, is marked as ‘Ancient Ruins’ on OS Maps (1:2500) published in 1885, 1897 and 1908.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

KE 309

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Websites
'Thurnham Roman Villa And Land South Of Corbier Hall, Thurnham, Kent ARC THM 96. Archaeological Evaluation 1997, accessed from http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/ctrl_2003/thm96/pdf/arc_thm96_report.pdf

Other
Kent HER TQ 85 NW 1. NMR TQ 85 NW 1. PastScape 417914,

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