Castlefacts³

New Moat The Mote

Has been described as a Rejected Timber Castle (), and also as a Rejected Fortified Manor House

There are uncertain remains

Name	New Moat The Mote
Alternative Names	Y Mot
Historic Country	Pembrokeshire
Modern Authority	Pembrokeshire
1974 Authority	Dyfed
Community	New Moat

The ancient mansion of the Scourfields, who resided here from the reign of Edward I. till within the last eighty years, when they removed to Robeston Hall, near Milford, has been taken down, and the proprietor has erected a spacious and elegant mansion on a very eligible eminence, about 400 or 500 yards from the former. (Lewis 1849)

Further earthworks have been noted, some 200m to the south-west, where OS County series shows 'the Mote (site of)' whilst a linear earthwork feature is apparent on aerial photographs leading north-east from the motte ; these features may relate to the medieval borough; burgesses, but no market, being recorded at New Moat in 1326 (Kissock 1997, 132)

Gatehouse Comments

The first edn 6" OS map published 1908 has marked, at the given map reference, in gothic font (an antiquity) "The Mote (Site of). No mention of this is made in the RCAHMW Inventory of 1925, which does otherwise mention the map. The site currently appears to be under a farm, concrete floored, straw store.It should be well noted that the medieval term Mota could mean motte, moat, fishpond or moot (meeting place) and suppositions as to the which form was meant need to be made with great care and clear caveats (Latham, R.E., 1965, Revised Medieval Latin Word List (Oxford University Press) revised edition of 2008 used). While is is likely New Moat does take its name from Mota in the sense of motte this motte is clearly the fine mound NE of the church (New Moat motte).The DAT HER is scant. It has the site type as Medieval Motte/Medieval Dwelling. Gatehouse can see no reason for the suggestion this was a motte site. The is no tenurial history that would suggest two motte in the same manor, no physical evidence and no reason for a move of sites. Although Lewis states the C19 house was built some distance for the older house of the Scourfields other sources, including the DAT HER, report it as being built on the site of the older house.The C19 House The Mote is 600m east of the OS marked site. This is somewhat greater than Lewis 400-500 yards although in the same sort of ball park

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record

www.cofiadurcahcymru.org.uk/arch/query/page.php?watprn=DAT1335&dbname=dat&tbname=core

OS Map Grid Reference	SN061251
Latitude	51.891300201416
Longitude	-4.81921005249023
Eastings	206104
Northings	225158