NHER 7253 (Monument record) - Post medieval moat, Hall Carr, East Bilney

Moat shown on tithe award map (S1).
P. Wade-Martins (NAU).

?Predecessor of East Bilney Hall, 1866? Yes - it had a drawbridge.
Information from the Bolingbroke Collection, NCM.
E. Rose (NAU).

Shown on (S2).
Ordnance Survey Records.
R. J. Rickett (NAU), 6 August 1990.

23 July 1991. NLA Air Photography.
Development on site of moat platform.
See (S3).
D. Edwards (NLA), 1991.

June 1991. Trial Trenching.
Excavation of a single trench. The earliest recorded feature was the moat, which could only be excavated to a limited depth due to the high water level. Augering indicated that the moat had been dug slightly more than 1m below the original surface of natural sand, and to have a flat, level bottom. The near-vertical north edge had been revetted by a series of wooden posts or stakes, which survived up to the height of the existing water level. It was not possible to investigate this feature further, but it appears to be a fairly substantial hurdle-like construction which perhaps covered the entire inner face of the moat. The upper fill of the moat contained substantial amounts of mortar and post medieval brick and tile. Pottery, window and vessel glass recovered from this layer were of 17th and 18th century date.
To the north of the moat the natural ground surface sloped up to the remains of a wall, or footings for a wall, set in a foundation trench. This wall had clearly been demolished to the level of the original ground surface. Above this wall was a layer of post medieval brick, tile and mortar up to 0.2m thick, which was probably a demolition deposit. This layer also included post medieval pottery, window and vessel glass, clay pipe and a lead window came. This wall formed an internal curtain wall running around the inside of the moat. Several post holes were also recorded, some of which appeared to form a perimeter fence line.
The excavated remains and the absence of medieval material suggest that this moat was of late, post medieval construction. However, as the moat was only partially excavated, and had been infilled, it may be that the earlier evidence was obscured by later activities. The island appears to have been converted into some form of ornamental garden following infilling of the moat, perhaps coinciding with a move to a new site, possibly the existing hall to the south-east.
See report (S4) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S5).
The finds recovered have been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 1995.66).
E. Rose (NLA), 8 January 1998 and A. Cattermole (NLA), 12 December 2007.