NHER 9926 (Monument record) - Sexton's Moat

Sexton's Moat is shown on an Ordnance Survey map as rectangular water-filled moat, long access north to south entrance in south side.

1951. Pot boilers (NCM map).
1975. Ordnance Survey aerial photographs show rectangular adjunct on southeast. A. K. Gregory (NAU).
1976. 14th - 15th century sherds. Seen by W. F. Milligan (NCM).
1982. Unit aerial photographs show west arm expanded as fishpond; small section west end south arm remains; otherwise totally destroyed. Adjunct visible as soilmark.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 30 July 1982.

NAR Records give a more specific eight figure grid reference for the pot boiler spread [1]. Grid reference in Norfolk NHER is centred on south-east corner of moat - to which NHER number also applies. NAR Record number = [2].
NAR Records.
M. D. Leah (NAU), 19 December 1990.

Information from neighbour states infilling of three arms and widening of west arm to form pond was undertaken between 1974-76. Silt dredged from Wattlefield House was used for infilling. This confirmed by owner, who said moats made farming operations difficult.
Compiled by H. Paterson (NLA), 16 December 1998.

23 July 2000. Metal detecting. [3].
?Roman, medieval and post medieval metal objects.
One post medieval coin.
See lists in file.
Compiled by A. Rogerson (NAU), 5 December 2000.

2000. Metal detecting.
One Roman and two post medieval coins.
Medieval, post medieval and Undated metal finds.
See lists in file.
Compiled by A. Rogerson (NAU), 3 January 2001.


The central grid reference for this site has been altered from TM 1020 9520 to TM 1021 9529.

March 2012. Norfolk NMP.
The medieval site of Sexton’s Moat is visible as a combination of extant water-filled ditches, plough-levelled soilmarks and cropmarks (S2-S7). The identification of an additional enclosure ditches, drains and possible ponds to the north and east has altered from the central grid reference to TM 1021 9529.
The aerial photographs from 1946 (S2) show the moat earthworks extant and waterfilled. Other than the northern and eastern arms of the moat, now infilled, boundaries and drains depicted on the Ordnance Survey Second Edition map (S8) and those extant as late as the 1970s (S3-S4) have not been mapped, but are likely to have formed part of the medieval and post medieval landscape associated with this site.
The adjacent enclosure referred to in the above record as being visible in 1973 (S4) does not appear particularly clearly, although the cropmarks of part of a conjoined boundary can be detected. Cloud cover over site is obscuring detail much of the detail on this photography. However in 1972 (S3) it can clearly be seen as consisting of a large sub-rectangular moated enclosure, with either a raised internal platform or compacted surface. Additional boundaries or drains are also present to the north which appear to corner round towards the main moat. Also tentatively mapped is a pair of possible ponds or broad ditch segments to the east of the site (S3), although the archaeological significance of these features is uncertain.
One of the straight field boundaries within the eastern part of the site looks like it may have once had a banked component (S3) and could feasibly have represented a major boundary associated with or defining with the site, however it was not mapped as it is depicted on the OS 2nd edition (S8) and the Tithe map (S9).
S. Horlock (NMP), 07March 2012.