Moated site known as Hall Yards, 150m north west of Tyrell's Hall

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1019549
Date first listed:: 05-Jan-2001

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Scheduled Monument
List Entry Number:: 1019549
Date first listed:: 05-Jan-2001

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Cambridgeshire
District:: South Cambridgeshire (District Authority)
Parish:: Shepreth
National Grid Reference:: TL 39462 47757

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 partial infilling of part of the moat, the moated site known as Hall Yards, 150m north west of Tyrell's Hall, survives well. The greater part of the island is largely undisturbed and will retain buried evidence for structures and other features relating to former periods of occupation. The buried silts in the base of the moat will contain both artefacts relating to the period of occupation and environmental evidence for the appearance of the landscape in which the monument was set. Comparison of this site with further examples, both locally and more widely, will provide valuable insight into developments in the nature of settlements and society in the medieval period.

Details

The monument includes a medieval moated site known as Hall Yards, situated 150m north west of Tyrell's Hall.

The moated site includes a roughly rectangular island which measures up to 65m north east-south west by 50m north west-south east. Buried building foundations and medieval pottery have been identified on the island. The island is enclosed on the north west side by a water-filled moat which was extended, prior to the mid-18th century, to form a pond, 66m long by up to 30m wide. The north east, south east and south west sides of the moat have been partly infilled and are now visible as linear depressions measuring up to 8m wide and 0.4m deep.

In the 13th century William de Hayes owned an estate in the parish of Shepreth which comprised the manor of Docwras and the manor of Wimbish. The moated site is thought to represent the site of the manor of Docwras, also known as Hallyards, in which William was licensed in about 1280 to have an oratory. The manor was divided in the 14th century, and Hallyards may perhaps also represent the site of the house, owned by Baldwin St George, which was burned down in 1401 and subsequently replaced by Docwras Manor, built approximately 150m to the north. A further moated site, 40m to the south west, is the subject of a separate scheduling.

A derelict summerhouse, which stands to the north of the north west arm of the moated site and is thought to have been added in the 19th century, is not included in the scheduling.

The fencing and the bridge to the island on the north west arm of the moat, and all standing structures, are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:: 33291
Legacy System:: RSM

Sources

Books and journals
The Victoria History of the County of Shepreth (Wetherley Hundred)251
'Octavo Publications 53' in PCAS, ()
Other
Title: 1st Edition 25" Ordnance Survey Map Source Date: 1886 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: LIII.11/15
Title: A Plan of all the Inclosures belonging to W. Woodham at Shepreth Source Date: 1764 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: CRO: R53/4/160
Title: Enclosure map of Shepreth Source Date: 1811 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: CRO: Q/RD210
Title: Tithe Map of Shepreth Source Date: 1844 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: CRO: 296/P43

Legal

This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.