Scheduled Ancient Monument: Rookyard Farm Moats (1451408)

The early history of Rookyard Farm is not known, but can be inferred from the site layout. The northern moat platform is empty, and is adjacent to the standing farmhouse, which dates to the 1550s. This suggests that the northern moat was in existence by this time, and may have had a building on the platform (which was rendered obsolete or replaced by the construction of the present house). The date of the second moat is not known, but enclosed the current house, possibly as a garden or orchard moat. The current house was extended around 1570, then further altered with the addition of two axial chimneys in the early-C17. The 1570 wing is clearly placed to overlook the southern moat platform, demonstrating that the southern moat was almost certainly in existence by then, and suggesting that it functioned as a garden moat. The roof of the earlier wing was replaced in the C18 or C19. As the house was gentrified in the early C19, it is possible the roof dates to the same phase of work. The manor of Old Newton was acquired by Robert Pretyman in 1543. As the manor was acquired from non-resident landlords, it is likely that the Pretyman family acquired a house within the parish at the same time, probably Rookyard Farm. Robert’s son Thomas inherited the property in 1562, around the time of the construction of the later wing. Historic maps show a large tithe barn on the southern moat platform, which was demolished before 1980. The southern moat was drained in 1973, and the northern arm of the northern moat has silted up, and shows as a shallow earthwork. Part of the northern arm has recently been recut. Other recent alterations include the lowering of a garden wall and moving a wall away from the moat edge. There is some evidence of earlier masonry collapse into the southern moat. Details Double moat. The northern moat is medieval, while the southern moat may date to the C16. PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS: The earthworks of a double moat surround the farmhouse of Rookyard Farm. It comprises a small, medieval moat to the north and a larger, probably post-medieval garden moat to the south. DESCRIPTION: The northern of the two moated platforms is rectangular in plan. The platform measures 55m east-west by 40m. The platform is enclosed on the south and west sides by a water-filled moat, 7m wide on the south side, and 11m on the west, to a depth of at least 2m. The northern arm of the moat is infilled, but survives as a shallow depression. Some recent recutting of the northern arm is visible. Ordnance Survey and historic maps show this arm as water-filled. The moat platform is approximately 0.5m higher than the land to the west. The southern moated platform is rectangular in plan, and measures 110m north – south by 95m. The platform is enclosed on the west, south and east sides by a seasonally water-filled moat measuring up to 10m in width and 2m deep. The moat is steep sided, with a U shaped profile, and the western arm shows some signs of collapse on the internal face. The southern arm has a slightly lower area, possibly once used as a cattle drink. The foundations of the demolished barn are visible on the southern moat platform. The north arm of the eastern arm of the moat has been shored with a modern retaining wall.