A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



ever enclosed by ditches on the north and west all traces of them have dis- 

 appeared. There is a stream on the west, and the general fall of the ground 

 is from north-west to south-east, but the levels have 

 been much altered by colliery subsidences. 



BILLINGHAM. Belasis Hall in this parish has a moat 

 of irregular form, well defined on the south and east 

 sides. 



COCKFIELD. The hall here was surrounded with a 

 moat, of which some traces remain. 



DURHAM. Houghall manor-house, once a strong 

 place with fortifications. Traces of the moat remain in part. 

 BRANCEPETH. EvENWooD. The manor-house of the bishops of Dur- 



ham, known as the Barony, stood here guarded by a moat, which still exists. 

 HAMSTERLEY, SHIPLEY MOAT, HIGH SHIPLEY. A rectangular site, sloping 

 steeply in a north-easterly direction to the Shipley Beck. It is surrounded by 

 a ditch which is well marked on the south, but gradually dies out with the 

 fall of the ground. The beck at its nearest point is about 120 yards distant, 

 and there seems to be no other water supply. From the nature of the ground 

 the ditch must always have been dry. 



LANCHESTER : HOLMSIDE HALL. A rectangular space measuring about 

 200 feet east to west is enclosed on the west, south, and east by a bank and ditch. 

 On the bank are traces of a wall at the south-east angle, and an outer line of ditch 

 seems to have run parallel with the west bank. At 1 50 feet from the south-east 

 angle the south bank and ditch turn offin a north-easterly direction for 200 feet 

 towards a small stream which runs east and west, and then turning westward 

 with the stream, seem to have enclosed the site on the north side, but in this 

 part are quite obliterated. On the west nothing is now to be traced of the 

 northern half of the probable boundary line, but it may have joined the bank 

 still existing at the south-west. The ground falls slightly towards the north-east. 

 LANCHESTER : LANGLEY HALL. The ruins of the hall are surrounded 

 by a ditch. The site falls steeply to the south-west, and the ditch is much 

 wider on the north and east than on the south and west. The south-west 



4$?' % 

 4-& A 



SECTION AT A- fft 



SCALE or rttr 



SHIPLEY MOAT, 

 HAMSTERLEY. 



HOLMSIDE HALL, 

 LANCHESTER. 



LANGLEY HALL, 

 LANCHESTER. 



CASTLE WOOD, 

 WOLSINGHAM. 



side has been banked up to give more depth of water, but the site is in no 

 case a strong one, as the ground rises quickly to the north. The original 

 entrance seems to have been from the south-east, but the ditch has been 

 destroyed on this side by a modern road. 



NEWBIGGIN (WEST). Here is a small homestead moat now without 

 any building on the enclosure. 



356 



