The Gatehouse website record for Ardeley Bury moated site

In the civil parish of Ardeley. In the historic county of Hertfordshire (Modern Authority of Hertfordshire, 1974 county of Hertfordshire).

The moat is complete though dry save for the south part of the NE arm which has been filled in. Large area enclosed by ditch with large bank on W side. A substantial bank and ditch on this side suggest the work might have been a motte and bailey, 'not unlike that at Walkern Bury in the adjacent parish. Sir Henry Chauncy described it as "moated round, with a Mount within the moat, and a Garden-place within the Mount, which seems to be a Mark of a Fortification in the time of the Danish or Baron's Wars"'. Extensive landscaping (including the large lake in front of the house) took place when the house [4211] was altered in 1820, and earlier earthworks may have been altered then. The manor belonged to the Canons of St Paul's Cathedral, from before 1066 until 1808; a motte may be unlikely. Although it was leased out from 1141 the tenants were often canons. (Hertfordshire HER)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TL301271

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 367946
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 391 '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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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

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