Monument record SEN 003 - Meen's Farm

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Summary

Moat, unoccupied, isolated, 2 sides square, possible outer moated yard shown on 1:10560 map, undated (S1).

Location

Grid reference Centred TM 329 824 (114m by 106m)
Map sheet TM38SW
Civil Parish ALL SAINTS AND ST NICHOLAS, SOUTH ELMHAM, WAVENEY, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Moat, unoccupied, isolated, 2 sides square, possible outer moated yard shown on 1:10560 map, undated (S1).
From TM 3297 8232 (centred) adjacent to the moated site, fieldwalking produced some C12 rim and body sherds, C15 C16 sherds, some C18 glazed sherds, a bronze crotal bell fragment and a whetstone fragment (S2). Small field boundaries, rectilinear pattern to S and SW of moated enclosure, visible on APs (S3).

At Meen's Farm, are pieces of six water trenches, which are apparently portions of another group of moats (S7).

Meen's Farmhouse probably dates to the 17thc, but is externally modernised and not outstanding. Around the house is a series of waterfilled ditches and ponds, the ditches varying between c 3.0m and 9.0m in width. A probable drainage/duckpond complex; there is no indication that the 'arms' ever formed a moat. (S5)

Soil marks recorded in air photographs show that they are part of a complex of at least six small, rectangluar ditched enclosures. Fieldwalking on the southern part of the site, which is now under arable cultivation, has produced sherds of 12th, 15th and 16th century as well as later pottery.

The overall dimensions of the central ditched or moated enclosures which contains the house were originally approximately 78m north west-south east by approximately 60m. More than half of the surrounding ditch has been infilled and approximately one third of the total area is or has been ploughed. More than half of the area of the interior which remains unploughed is occupied by the house, farm buildings and farmyard, and much of the rest has been disturbed by recent garden landscaping. Given that the classification as a moat is not certain, and that very little of the site remains undisturbed or unencumbered by later buildings, scheduling is not considered to be an appropriate course of action (S6)

Sources/Archives (9)

  • <S1> Source Unchecked: West Dr S E. ND. SAU (West S E), undated. SAU (West S E), undated.
  • <M1> Unpublished document: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Parish Files. Parish file: fieldwalking report.
  • <M2> Photograph: CUCAP. CUCAP aerial photograph. APs: CUCAP BEQ 51, 55, 56.
  • <S2> (No record type): Hardy M J, 6 November 1985.
  • <S3> Photograph: CUCAP. CUCAP aerial photograph. CUCAP, APs BEQ 51, 55, 56, 19, January 1971.
  • <S4> Digital archive: Historic England. National Record Of the Historic Environment.
  • <S5> Source Unchecked: RCHME?. Various. Field Investigators Comments. F1 JRL 12-JUL-73.
  • <S6> Unpublished document: Unknown. 1997. English Heritage Alternative Action Report.
  • <S7> Bibliographic reference: 1911. Victoria County History, Suffolk (VCH). 616.

Finds (3)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Record last edited

Sep 20 2021 5:42PM

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