A HISTORY OF KENT 



enclosure remains, about three-quarters of 

 a mile north-west of the parish church. 



QuEENBOROUGH. — The homestead moat, 

 situated about 500 ft. east of Sheppey 

 Castle, is shown on the plan of that work 

 (Class D). 



RoLVENDEN : LowDEN Manor, also called 



causing the water to flow into the moats, and 

 it seems as if the action of the dam could be 

 so regulated as, in case of need, to flood the 

 ground between the two branches of the 

 stream excepting the central island, which 

 would thus be secured against all foes. 



Horsmonden was a clearing in the dense 

 forest of Andred, probably dating from later Little Maytham, is mentioned by Hasted, 

 Saxon days than the settlements on the hills 

 and open lands. Possibly this moated en- 

 closure may be of that period. Simple home- 

 stead enclosures, guarded by a single fosse or 

 moat, may often have been intended mainly 

 for protection from wolves and other wild 

 beasts, but so complex an arrangement as this 

 example shows indicates defence against human 

 enemies — maybe against Danish marauders. 



Ightham : The Moat. — This well-known 

 castle-mansion, one of the most picturesque 



house remaining, ' but the scite of the antient 

 mansion, and the moat around it, are still 

 visible.' ^ 



Sevington : Boys Hall is in the parish of 

 Willesborough, but the site of the old hall 

 which preceded it is just over the border, in 

 Sevington. Here, according to Hasted, the 

 spot formerly occupied is known as The Moat.^ 



Shipborne. — There are remains of a moated 

 enclosure in the lower part of the Park. 



Speldhurst : Groombridge Place. — The 



in England, will be described in another description of this place of picturesque sur- 

 chapter ; here it is sufficient to note that the roundings must be left to another chapter ; 

 waters of a small feeder of the Medway are here it is sufficient to draw attention to the 

 held back by a substantial dam, flooding the practically perfect moat, broad and deep, 

 wide moat which surrounds the ancient surrounding the buildings, 

 buildings. Staplehurst : Brattle. — This enclosure, 



IvvADE : Moat Farm. — Situated near the with its protecting moat much mutilated, lies 

 waters of a creek of the Medway, on the bor- about a mile south-west from the church. 



Sutton Valence : Moatenden. — On the 

 west of the road to Tenterden are consider- 

 able remains of a moated enclosure. 



Thanington : Tuniford. — The ancient 

 mansion which stood here was well defended 

 by a moat of which some portion remains, 

 together with a gateway arch, and other 

 masonry incorporated with the present house. 

 Westwell : Yewtree House. — Here are 

 fragmentary remains of a moat on the east 

 side of the railway. 



Wittersham : Palstre Court. — Muchun- 

 mutilated remnant of the moat exists round 

 the enclosure. 



Woodnesborough : Grove Manor. — The 

 moating here remains in parts of its course. 

 Woodnesborough : Polton Manor. — 



der of the marsilands, the position probably 

 needed defence in early days, and considerable 

 moating is in evidence. 



Kingsnorth : Manor House. — A com- 

 plete moat remains around the site of the old 

 manor house about half a mile north-east of 

 the church. 



Leigh : Great Barnetts. — Fairly perfect 

 moat remains, about half a mile east of Leigh 

 church. 



Marden : Moat Farm. — Only part of the 

 original enclosure is now moated. 



Mersham : Quarrington.— Here is a 

 nearly complete example of homestead moat- 

 ing in the north of Mersham parish. 



Milton (near Sittingbourne) : Great 

 Norwood. — Stephen, son of Jordan de 



Shepey, obtained a grant of the manor of Originally Poltmans, from the name of the 



Northwood, otherwise Norwood, and built 

 mansion here in the time of Richard I or 

 John. It may be that to him we owe the 

 extensive moating, much of which remains 

 around the farmhouse and buildings. The 

 place must [have been of considerable impor- 

 tance, as Stephen assumed the name De 

 Norwood, which all his descendants continued 

 to use.' 



Newenden : Losenham. — Part of a moat 

 appears to remain on the west side of the site 

 of the Carmelite Priory. 



Pluckley : Pevington. — An oblong moated 



family residing there, their mansion being 

 castellated and surrounded with a moat.* 

 The house was rebuilt in 1629, the moat being 

 retained. 



Wroth AM : Moat Farm.— Little traces 

 remain of the once considerable moating 

 round the enclosure, which is about a mile 

 south-east of the church. 



Yalding : Cheveney. — Here are the nearly 

 complete remains of a small homestead moat, 

 about a mile north-west of Hunton Court 

 Lodge. 



Hasted, Hist, of Kent (1782), ii. 



« Hist. Kent (1790) iii. 89. ' Ibid. 277. 

 « Hasted, Hist. Kent (1799), iv. 238. 



428 



