Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

The remains of a moat were first identified from an aerial photograph taken in 1950. The site was subsequently surveyed the following year; the earthworks had an entrance from the north and covered an area of c.3000 square metres. The site was excavated under the threat of gravel digging in 1963; there was some occupation evidence but no building reamins were found. The precise dating of the moat remained uncertain; it may either be contemporary with a sea wall built in the 13th century, or with stone footings from a 15th century timber building.

Monument Types

• MOAT (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1200 AD to 1700 AD)
• HOUSE (Medieval - 1400 AD to 1499 AD)

Associated Finds

• ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Undated)

Full description

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[TQ 794 720] A roughly square earthwork was first discovered by aerialphotography in 1950 and with the permission of the owner was surveyed by W. G. Gitshaw for J. H. Evans, F.S.A., in 1951. The survey indicates the earthwork to be about 0.75 acres in area, with rounded corners. It is aligned N.-S. and E.-W. and the only entrance is from the north. In 1963 a limited rescue excavation was undertaken by the Lower Medway Archaeological Rescue Group in advance of gravel digging. Their findings indicate that after the errection of a sea wall in the 13th century there was some occupation of this site but no building remains were found. The moat might belong to this period or it might be contemporary with the 15th century stone footings of a timber building which lasted until the 17th century after which the site was no longer used. (1)(2) General listing in the gazetteer. (3) Abbot's Court is listed in the County Checklist of moated sites in Kent. (4) General listing (5). Additional references (6,7) and site photographs (8-12),The site lies about 270 metres from the present sea wall, and a curvilinear bank on the seaward side of the moat was interpreted by the excavator as an earlier sea wall dating to the thirteenth century. This possible sea wall has been recorded separately (Monument 1547411). Archive material (12)

<1> Arch Cant 64 1951 156-8 plan (JH Evans) (OS Card Reference). SKE35376.

<2> Ibid 78 1963 165-9 (RC Harrison and ER Swain) (OS Card Reference). SKE44194.

<3> Arch Cant 93 1977 221 (T Tatton-Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36146.

<4> Moated Sites Res Grp 6 1979 46 (Ed CJ Bond) (OS Card Reference). SKE47283.

<5> CBA Res Rep 17 Md Moated Sites 1978 39 (FA Aberg) (OS Card Reference). SKE38793.

<6> Ordnance Survey: Portfolios (Collection). SKE6541.

<7> Anon, 1951, Reasearches and Discoveries in Kent, 1950, p.156-8 (Article in serial). SWX7847.

<8> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9512.

<9> 1946, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9563.

<10> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9839.

<11> 1947, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX9869.

<12> Historic England, Archive material associated with Abbots Court, Hoo St Werburgh (Archive). SKE54128.

<12> 2000, Photograph (Photograph (Print)). SWX10332.

Sources and further reading