ANCIENT EARTHWORKS 



BARKHAM. There is an irregularly shaped moat around the Church 

 Farm, close to Barkham Church, the greater part of which is still in 

 existence, though part of the north-west side has been filled in. 



Another moat surrounds what is known as Bigg's Farm ; three sides 

 of a square still remain, and there are evidences of the former existence 

 of the remaining side. 



BLEWBURY. There are three sides remaining of a regularly planned 

 rectangular moat surrounding Blewbury Farm, and outside this again is 

 another moat of irregularly circular form, with some parts of a vallum 

 still existing on the outside. The whole surface of the ground inside 

 the outer moat has been raised above the level of the surrounding 

 country. 1 The inner moat was formerly crossed by a drawbridge, the 

 remains of which have been obliterated within the last 1 20 years. 2 



BRIGHTWALTON. There are faint vestiges of two sides of a moat 

 which enclosed the Manor Farm at Brightwalton and the site of the old 

 church. The moat must have been narrower than is usual in similar 

 cases, but enclosed a much larger space of ground. The angle remaining 

 is an accurate right-angle. There is no water in the moat, which was in 

 all probability always dry. 



BRIGHTWELL. Three sides of an irregularly quadrangular moat 

 remain around the Manor House at Brightwell, the site of the old castle. 

 The moat must formerly have enclosed also the site of the church and 

 rectory. Within it at the south-west corner is a large mound. 3 



There is another moat of irregular form near Mackney Court Farm, 

 at the end of which is a small rectangular island or withy bed. 



CHOLSEY. There is a long moat with a branch leaving it at right- 

 angles in the centre, near the G.W.R. station, at the site of the 

 monastery. 



There is another of irregular shape, fed by a broad ditch, sur- 

 rounding Lollingdon Farm. 



There are remains of moats, intersected by the railway to Walling- 

 ford, near Cholsey Church, but it is not easy to make out their form or 

 the object for which they were made. 



CLEWER. There is a small quadrangular moat of irregular shape 

 near Dedworth Green. 



COLESHILL. Three sides of a moat still exist on the low ground to 

 the north-east of the village, where the Pleydell manor house is believed 

 to have stood. 



COMPTON BEAUCHAMP. Compton House is surrounded by a very 

 regular rectangular moat, the sides of which have been built up with 

 brick-work. 



DENCHWORTH. Three sides of a moat still exist round the manor 

 house of Denchworth, and much of the remainder, though filled in, can 

 be distinctly traced.* 



Trans. Newbury Dist. Field Club, iv. 38. Lewis, Top. Diet. 



3 Lysons, Mag. Brit. i. 250. 



' Clarke, Hundred of Wanting (1824), p. 87. Cough's Camden, p. 225. 



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