Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Earthworks of a 13th century moated site and associated fishpond, Franks Hall

Monument Types

• FISHPOND (FISHPOND, Medieval - 1216 AD? to 1500 AD?)
• HOUSE (HOUSE, Medieval - 1216 AD? to 1500 AD?)
• FISHPOND (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1220 AD? to 1900 AD)
• MANOR HOUSE (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1220 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 5549 6782] Franks [NAT] The name is formed from the Frankish family who built a house during the reign of Henry III (1216-72) on the opposite bank of the river from the present one, but the site proved too damp and by the beginning of the C16th, the house was in ruins and the family had died out. 'In 1591, as only a bare ruin of the former house remained (probably the pigeon house formed a portion or constituted one of its towers)

At TQ 5554 6777 there is a dry homestead moat, the site of the earlier house. Three sides only remain, the NW side having been incorporated in the River Darenth. At the NE and SE corners are small circular mounds: there is no evidence of a pigeon-house (seen on the tithe map?).

At TQ 5557 6770 is a fish- pond, now dry. (1) No change. (2)

Not mentioned in County checklist of moated sites in Kent - December 1979. (6)

From the National Heritage List for England:
The moated site at Franks Hall comprises the well-preserved earthworks of part of the original manor site of Franks Hall, together with a separate but associated fishpond. The north-western of the original four sides has been lost to an artificial watercourse created after 1870. Moated sites are generally seen as prestigious residences of the Lords of the Manor. The moat not only marked the high status of the occupier but also served to deter casual raiders and wild animals. Most moats were constructed between 1280 and 1350, but historical records suggest that the site at Franks Hall is an early example, having been constructed during the reign of Henry III around 1220. The single fishpond, 20m to the south of the moat, survives as earthworks describing a sub-rectangular area within which a low bank provides a separation between an inner pond for the fish and an outer ditch, possibly for water regulation purposes. Breaks in the earthworks at both shorter ends suggest the entry and exit points for water. The moated site and the fishpond are scheduled as two separate areas.

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.

The moated site at Franks Hall is of particular importance because the preservation of the earthworks is good allowing the original form to be appreciated. The historical documentation of the site is also good, with a date for construction and a history of ownership having been identified. The fishpond is important for its archaeological potential, the earthworks sealing the old ground surface and its evidence of the previous use of the land. The association of the fishpond both with the contemporary moated site and the subsequent Elizabethan Franks Hall adds further to the historical value of the site.

<1> Horton Kirby 1857 9 MS notes (E Cresy) (Copy in Dartford Borough Library) (OS Card Reference). SKE44180.

<2> MHLG Schedule Dartford HLG 3541 1952 (OS Card Reference). SKE47171.

<3> F1 ASP 15-JUL-60 (OS Card Reference). SKE42122.

Sources and further reading

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