Haslingfield Manor Moat, cambridgeshire. An Examination of the Moat Sediments and an Archaeological Watching Brief of Silt Clearance

Résumé 0

Following a request for Scheduled Monument Consent to undertake de-silting of the moat at Haslingfield Manor, a project design brief was produced by the County Archaeological Office. This recommended the coring of these sediments in advance of clearing in order to establish their archaeological potential, and to investigate the profile and date of the moat. Hand augering of these sediments carried out along the length of the moat lake, and in five transects across it, suggested that there had been at least two phases of previous clearance, and that the majority of the infilling sediments were modern. Nevertheless, the presence here of some earlier (probably post-medieval) silts, meant that restrictions were imposed upon the depth of silt to be removed. Because of this, a watching brief was carried out by CAU during de-silting operations undertaken in February/March 2005. Few additional features were exposed during this work, and no artefacts other than post-medieval to modern brick and rubbish were recovered from the silt spoil. Beyond the internal moat bank, however, the base of a probable 17th century brick perimeter wall around the western arm of the moat was located and planned. The latter boundary wall is probably the same as that shown within an early 19th century watercolour of the manor