Scheduled Ancient Monument: MOATED SITE AT DENNINGTON HALL (21304)

The monument includes the moated site of old Dennington Hall, located 40m south of the present Dennington Hall, and approximately 1.5m north east of Dennington Village. The water-filled, sub-rectangular moat measures between 10m and 16m in width and between 2m and 3m in depth and encloses an island with maximum dimensions of 55m north - south by 46m east - west. It is fed by surface drainage, and the intake is by a ditch which runs southwards from the centre of the southern arm. A shallow, shelving cattle pond measuring approximately 15m north - south has been dug to the east of this, in the outer edge of the southern arm of the moat, and the outer edge of the northern arm at its eastern end appears to have been enlarged for a similar purpose. There is no causeway. Around much of the inner face of the moat is a revetment of coursed flints with a facing of brick which survives below water level on the north side and above water to some extent on the east side; elsewhere it is fragmentary. The flint core of the revetment is visible above water on the east side, particularly at the north end, and at the north end of the west side, where there is a projection measuring approximately 0.5m in thickness and 2m in width. The central part of the west side is revetted for about 27m of its length by limestone blocks approximately 0.5m x 0.2m x 0.3m in size. The footings of three brick walls have been observed in section in the weathered upper edge of the north side, towards its eastern end. An internal bank approximately 0.5m high and 4m - 5m in width runs across the northern end of the island, curving across the north western and north eastern corners. The island is no longer occupied, but evidence of building and medieval occupation, including brick, peg tile and sherds of medieval pottery, have been recorded from the surface of the whole area. In the 12th century the manor of Dennington was held by Sir John de Bovile. In the late 14th century it was held by Sir William Wingfield, and remained in the possession of the Wingfield family until 1538, when the manor, with Dennington Hall, passed to Sir Anthony Rous of Dennington Place. A modern wooden bridge which gives access to the site is excluded from the scheduling, as are a greenhouse on the island, fences on the island and bordering or immediately adjacent to the moat, adjacent access tracks, and also yard surfaces and standing walls on and immediately adjacent to the eastern outer edge of the moat, but the ground beneath all these features is included.