Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Possible moated sites linked together by a bank. Excavations have located buildings on both, one associated with human remains. Fieldname evidence suggests this may have been the site of a Medieval hospital.

Monument Types

• ENCLOSURE (ENCLOSURE, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• HOSPITAL? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MANOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MOAT (MOAT, Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

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(TR 03382548) Moat (NR) (TR 03492550) An undescribed enclosure (1) Two oval enclosures (as above) on the air photograph (Fig. 77A) mark the probable site of two moated manor houses. (2) Two, almost contiquous, sub-circular enclosures situated on the general level of the Romney Marsh. The easternmost enclosure, at TR 03492549, is a slightly small and weaker work. The ditch is dry with the vestigial remains of an outer bank and a causeway at the NE corner. Within it is a slight horseshoe-shaped mound. This site was under pasture at time of visit; no building debris was visible. Published survey correct. (3) The eastern enclosure is named as 'St. John's Field' and 'Hospital Field' on the tithe map. This is an alternative site for a medieval hospital - see TR 02 SE 4. (4) The eastern enclosure has now been ploughed out. (5) TR 033255. Manor House, Old Romney is listed in the County checklist of moated sites in Kent - December 1979. (6,7) Known also as St John's Glebe the eastern enclosure revealed human remains and building debris during ploughing in 1970. An earthen bank apparently connected it to the moated area to the west. The burials were concentrated to the south and south-west of the building debris and contained a stone-lined grave covered by two large pieces of limestone which was removed and reconstructed in Old Romney churchyard. The building debris was suggestive of a large building and a trial trench revealed an east-west wall foundation over a metre in width. (8)

The westernmost site, the dry moat at TR 034254 revealed wall
foundation and medieval debris during an investigation of plough-damage and trial excavations. (9)

The moat survives as a narrow ditch of penannular form with an entrance causeway as depicted on the OS map. The interior, however, is cultivated along with the surrounding field and was under a ripening wheat crop when visited. The OS map shows the site to be adjacent to an earthwork enclosure. This has now been ploughed out, but investigation in 1970 found that the enclosure had contained a large building - field name evidence suggests a hospital - and a burial ground. An earthen bank - now disappeared - was found to be linking the moated site with the hospital site. Scheduling is not recommended at this time. (10)
Record split from TR 02 nw 6

<1> OS 6" 1961 (OS Card Reference). SKE48369.

<2> Md England 1958 189 (M W Beresford & J K S St Joseph) (OS Card Reference). SKE46664.

<3> KAR 23 1971 69 (J Bradshaw) (OS Card Reference). SKE45270.

<4> Tithe Map New Romney c.1841 (OS Card Reference). SKE50588.

<5> LS Reviser 27 10 75 (OS Card Reference). SKE46208.

<6> Arch Cant 93 1977 219-22 (T Tatton-Brown) (OS Card Reference). SKE36138.

<7> Moated Sites Res Gp 6 1979 47 (OS Card Reference). SKE47254.

<8> Arch Cant 85 1970 179 (J Bradshaw) (OS Card Reference). SKE35802.

<9> KAR 23 1971 69 (J Bradshaw) (OS Card Reference). SKE45270.

<10> Field report for monument TR 02 NW 6 - March, 1963 (Bibliographic reference). SKE5047.

Sources and further reading

Related records