Leire moat

Has been described as a Questionable Fortified Manor House

There are earthwork remains

NameLeire moat
Alternative Names
Historic CountryLeicestershire
Modern AuthorityLeicestershire
1974 AuthorityLeicestershire
Civil ParishLeire

VCH records this site as a 'moated inclosure with stronger defensive works.'

North-east of the church is the greater part of a moat of parallelogram plan. The south-west has a bank and external moat; on the north-east and south-east the moat is inside, 4ft. deep, with a wide outer vallum 6 ft. in height. From the latter side two branches of the moat turn inwards to a distance of nearly 100ft. (VCH)

A series of broad, shallow, dry ditches, apparently constructed to take water from a spring, still extant at SP 52799012, to a moat, centred at SP 52709020. The southern arm of the moat has been filled in and, though the formerly enclosed area is raised, no traces of a building were seen. From the northwest corner of the moat, the water apparently drained into a large, dug depression. The easternmost ditch has been extensively mutilated by soil-dumping in recent months. The earthworks fall in an old pasture used as a a large chicken range. No local knowledge was found relating to the site. (PastScape–ref.- Field Investigators Comments-F1 WCW 27-JUL-60)

Gatehouse Comments

The location, near to church, is suggestive of a manorial centre but area enclosed is large for a domestic moat. A perplexing earthwork, but Gatehouse suspects not defensive.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSP527901
Latitude52.5074195861816
Longitude-1.22399997711182
Eastings452730
Northings290180
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Wall, C., 1907, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Page, Wm, (ed), VCH Leicestershire Vol. 1 p. 269 online copy