Benhall Moat

In the civil parish of Benhall. In the historic county of Suffolk (Modern Authority of Suffolk, 1974 county of Suffolk).

In 1225 Ralph de Sunderland's dwelling (domos) at Benhall was fortified, with ditches and stakes, by some partisans of Henry de Clavering who had 'maintained themselves there by force and arms contrary to the king's peace'. A knight and fourteen sergeants were arrested. This may have been the moat at manor farm, although there is a mound of uncertain date in 'Castle Field', made of rammed chalk at TM355624. Both sites are about a mile from the church (which has a fine Norman doorway) and it may be that the site was other than these but no other alternative is given in PastScape.
Moat, Manor Farm, inhabited, rectangular platform, present house overlaps W side, although that part of the house looks the oldest. Low lying location on meadows close to river. Manor Farm adjoins on W side outside entrance to moat. House demolished in 1970s, apparently as part of planning consent for conversion of Manor Farm Buildings. Large elements of the original Manor Farm buildings, as shown on OS 1880s map, just outside entrance to moat and also possibly Med in origin, have also now gone. (Suffolk HER for Benhall Moat)
Castle Hill Field is a low mound in marshy ground. About 1950 investigations by G Sieveking and Lord Medway revealed rammed chalk only (Ipswich Museum note). (Suffolk HER for Castle Hill - dated as Roman)
The moat is, by far, the more likely site for Ralph Sunderland's domos.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TM38126038

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 391473; 391470
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is BNL 004 '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.

• Books
  • Coulson, C., 1979, 'Structural Symbolism in Medieval Castle Architecture' Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol132 p102-3
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p378
    Wall, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Suffolk Vol1 p605 [Manor Farm moat] http://www.archive.org/stream/victoriahisto01page#page/605/mode/1up
• Journal Articles
  • Clark, P., 1909, Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History Vol13 p367-8 [Castle Field mound]
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • R.Litt.Claus, ii. 52b.