Hinton-in-the-Hedges Manor House

Has been described as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameHinton-in-the-Hedges Manor House
Alternative Names
Historic CountryNorthamptonshire and the Soke of Peterborough
Modern AuthorityNorthamptonshire
1974 AuthorityNorthamptonshire
Civil ParishHinton-in-the-Hedges

Moated manor house, in "a spot .....situated in a triangle formed by two streams, one from the north west, the other from the west, which unite and flow south-east" (Downman 1906).

This site has recently been levelled, there are no surveyable remains.

The moated site consisted of a small rectangular island, 30 m. by 40 m. apparently raised slightly above the adjacent ground and surrounded by a deep ditch 12 m. wide. The ditch on the NE side and part of the island had already been damaged before destruction, by the realignment and deepening of the original stream. On the SW side was a larger rectangular island 60 m. by 45 m., surrounded by a ditch 10 m. wide with a causewayed entrance in the centre of the short NW side. There was a large external bank to the SE of both islands. In the surrounding area was a number of shallow ditches and low banks, some defining former paddocks or closes, others apparently for water. To the NW of the site (SP 561371) was a small rectangular embanked pond, probably contemporary with the moated site and perhaps for fish. During the destruction of the site in 1970 short lengths of foundations and what appeared to be a central courtyard were discovered as well as traces of a large timber building lying over an earlier structure. Pottery of the C14th was found. Much more pottery of the same date had been found previously (local inf) (F1 JB 09-APR-70). (PastScape)

After the bulldozing of this moated manor site Mrs. G. Brown for the Brackley R.D.C. and M.P.B.W. uncovered short lengths of foundations and what appeared to be a large central courtyard. A large timber building with a floor of pitched stone was superimposed on an earlier kitchen with a round oven and adjacent hearths. Much orange-glazed tile was found near the hearths and the pottery was 14th-century. (Med. Arch. 1971)

Gatehouse Comments

Downman includes this site in the section entitled 'enclosures ramparted and fossed' rather than Homestead moats. This includes houses normally regarded as fortified manor houses although other authors and the archaeological databases seem to consider this as a none-fortified manorial site. There appear to be some slight soil marks on the cricket pitch which covers the site of this previously scheduled monument (the schedule was revoked in 1991) which was bulldozed in the 1970s.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSP562370
Latitude52.0282096862793
Longitude-1.18204998970032
Eastings456200
Northings236900
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • RCHME, 1982, An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the County of Northampton Vol. 4: South-west Northamptonshire (HMSO) p. 91 online transcription
  • DoE, 1971, Archaeological Excavations 1970 (HMSO) p. 34
  • Downman, E.A., 1906, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Serjeantson, R.M., Ryland, W. and Adkins, D. (eds), VCH Northamptonshire Vol. 2 p. 416 online copy

Journals

  • 1971, Medieval Archaeology Vol. 15 p. 163-4 online copy