Monument record MDR5777 - Park Hall Moated Site, Mapperley

(SK 42434300) Park Hall Farm (NAT) . (1) Park Hall, Moated Site. Excavated by Ilkeston and District Historical Society. C13/C16 occupation material and C16/C17 infilling in the moat. (2) The monument includes the moated site and well at Park Hall and the adjacent enclosure which extends to the south east. The moated site is currently occupied by the stackyard of Park Hall Farm and its visible remains comprise a platform measuring c.30m square and the water filled east arm of the moat which is now c.8m wide. Partial excavations carried out by Ilkeston and District Local History Society in 1968 and 1970 have demonstrated that the north arm of the moat survives as a buried feature c.7m wide by 2.1m deep. Although no excavation was carried out along the west side of the stackyard it is believed that the west arm of the moat also survives as a buried feature together with the south end of the east arm which was still visible in 1880 on a line with the north wing of the present day farm. The layout of the moated site indicates that the other buried features will survive beneath the north wing of the modern farm and will include the remains of a gate leading from the farm track together with a wall or boundary feature and the remains of earlier buildings. In 1967 excavations on the east side of the moated platform north of the well which is 3.6m deep and water-filled and proved too wet to excavate identified, to the east of a modern farm building found evidence of four distinct occupation phases. These begin in the C13. Most recent was a paved area dated by pottery to C19. Below this sherds of C18 overlay an earlier paved area itself overlying a turf layer containing C17 yellow glaze pottery and clay pipe. The turf layer was preceded by a cobbled surface embedded in iron slag containing C16 Midland Purple Ware. Other sherds of Midland Purple ware was found with Cistercian ware amongst the cobbles, with frags of red earthenware roof tiles, amber green window glass, table glass and two decorated lead weights. Beneath the iron slag was a rubble layer with C15 pottery and C13/14 green glaze pottery with frags of C13/14 brown and green glaze roof tiles. Culvert foundations and walls of a building were set on the rubble layer consisting of undressed sandstone blocks, packed with clay and pieces of brown and green glaze roof tile. The culvert and walls are believed to be C16. Excavation in the water-filled east arm of the moat showed the inner edge of the bank. Post holes and stake holes indicated the line of a palisade dated C13 by green glazed pottery. 2 Oak stakes with ends adze-sharpened were found, and stone lined revetting for the inner bank identified. The north arm of the moat produced a leather boot , thatch and timber from a demolishedC16 building, as well as Oyster shells and leather insoles dated to the later Middle Ages. Park Hall was associated with Simon de Arderne who received the grant of the manor in 1267 only to lose it to Ralph de Crumwell in 1270 who sold it to Thomas de Luthe in in 1276. Documents in 1507 link Park Hall with Robert Morton, and the house is mentioned in Chancery proceedings in 1599. In 1691 Sir Anthony of Strelley is noted as having 'lived at the hamlet of Park Hall'. The moated site was deserted but identifiable in 1857 but was as today by 1905 when Revd Kerry wrote about the site, with only the well and the eastern moat arm visible. (4).