The Gatehouse website record for Little Sampford Moat

In the civil parish of Little Sampford. In the historic county of Essex (Modern Authority of Essex, 1974 county of Essex).

Homestead moat. Moat 7m wide, 0.5m deep, enclosure flat, moat wet. Possible mill mound? Small flat circular enclosure, c90ft across, surrounded by a moat c15ft wide, in a dense plantation 1600ft west of Little Sampford Church. Not a defensive work, probably the site of Freshwell Hundred moot. The circular waterfilled ditch lies in a close copse on level ground. Overall is 35m in diameter, ditch averages c4m wide. No trace of a causeway, 1.5m deep.. Interior same level as surrounding land. Apart from coppicing, it seems to be undisturbed. 1839 tithe map shows neither copse nor enclosure. Could be they are contemporary. 1978-ditch permanently dry, circles of outer and inner slopes of ditch slightly flattened beside road suggesting layout "had to be modified to accommodate the existing feature". OS suggests probably modern ditched enclosure. Has been suggested as a Ringwork but I'm unclear if this was a loose use of the term or a serious suggestion that this might be a castle site. In 1086 Richard, son of Gilbert, held 5 hides in demesne.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL64763363

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 376767
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 1473 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

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