Summary

Medieval moated manorial site including a building platform, surrounding ditch and outer bank, located approximately 200m west of the ruins of Farnah Hall.

Source: Historic England

Details

PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS: Medieval moated manorial site, including a central platform, surrounding ditch (moat) and outer bank, located approximately 200m west of the ruins of Farnah Hall.

DESCRIPTION:
The medieval moated site is located approximately 200m west of the ruins of Farnah Hall, and approximately 475m south-south-west of a gate lodge to Wirksworth Road. The moated site is roughly square in plan, measuring approximately 111m north-west to south-east and 104m north-east to south-west. The site includes a central platform (approximately 40m x 40m), surrounded by a ditch (approximately 15m wide) and an outer bank 25m wide on the north-west side, 18m wide on the north-east side and 12m wide on the south-east and south-west sides. The central platform is wooded, including saplings and nettles, and as a consequence a thick covering of leaf mould conceals any earthworks but, given that the site is completely unencumbered by development since its abandonment and the surrounding earthworks are so well defined, the potential for building remains to survive beneath the ground surface remains high. The ditch or moat survives around all four sides of the platform up to approximately 1.5m deep, and although silted in many places remains waterlogged, providing an environment ideally suited to the preservation of organic evidence such as leather and wooden artefacts or building materials. An earthen causeway spans the south end of the south-west arm of the moat, providing access to the central platform. A short section of outer bank along the south-west side has been reduced in height close to the southern corner. The moat is enclosed by a post-and-wire fence with posts set at intervals of approximately 3m along the inner edge of the outer bank.

EXTENT OF SCHEDULING:
The mapped depiction includes a 2m buffer zone around the perimeter of the medieval moated site.

EXCLUSIONS:
A stone-lined leat runs south from the south corner of the moat but this is excluded from the scheduling, as is the post-and-wire fence enclosing the moat, but the ground beneath these features is included.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

The medieval moated manorial site at Windley, dating back to at least the C14, part of the Champion Estate documented as early as 1236, is scheduled for the following principal reasons:

* Survival: the major elements of the moated manorial site survive well, with a clearly defined platform, moat and external bank and it is a good example of its type.

* Potential: there is clear evidence for the survival of significant archaeological deposits, including the buried remains of the house or hall, waterlogged organic material and a buried medieval land surface, which together has the potential to enhance our knowledge and understanding of the manorial site and the wider social and economic landscape in which it functioned;

* Documentation: the existence of comprehensive documentary evidence dating back to 1236 enhances the understanding and significance of the site;

* Group value: it has strong group value with the remains of its successor, Farnah Hall, and the associated landscaped park and gardens, including a ha-ha, grotto, ponds and an ice house.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Craven, M, Stanley, M, The Derbyshire Country House, (1982), 32
Wiltshire, Mary (Author), Woore, Sue (Author), Crisp, Barry (Author), Rich, Brian (Author), Duffield Frith - history & evolution of the landscape of a medieval Derbyshire forest, (2005), 92-5

Source: Historic England