Frickley Old Hall moated site

Description

Frickley Old Hall is a good and well-documented example of a small moated site with the largely undisturbed remains of medieval buildings preserved in the island deposits. Organic material is likely to survive in its waterfilled moat.
The monument consists of a rectangular island measuring 30m x 20m surrounded by a waterfilled moat c.10m wide. The south arm of the moat was widened in the second half of the 19th century to create an ornamental lake, incorporating a separate fishpond contemporary with the moated site and shown on the 1854 O.S. 6':1 mile map. The moat is stone revetted to north and west and the foundations of a stone bridge are visible approximately midway along the west arm. Known to be the manor of the Annes from the 14th century onwards, the size of the island indicates it was the site of the manor house only, demolished when the present hall was built. (Scheduling Report)

The manor of Frickley appears to have come to the family of Anne by the marriage of Sir William Anne with Alice, daughter of Robert Haringel, sometime in the reign of Edward III (1327-1377). Their old house at Frickley was demolished by Anthony Wharton (? in the 18th cent.) only the moat being left, he then erected a new house (presumably the present Fickley Hall - ST 4608) The old house was extant c.1685 when visited by Dr. Nathaniel Johnston who describes coats of arms, and an inscription onwood over a stable door which read "God save Martin Anne and Frances his wife 1572" (Hunter).
No confirmation of the published site Old Hall was obtained during field investigation. The moat still water filled has been extended on its southern side to form an ornamental lake. An early 17th C stone building situated at SE 47100860 probably represents part of the former outbuildings to the Old Hall. It is now amalgamated with the modern buildings of Park Farm and used as a cow shed. There are no inscriptions visible. See G.P. AO/60/99/1 for S.W. aspect (F1 RL 20-JUN-60).
The medieval moat (extended in the post medieval period to form an ornamental lake) and some ditches (possibly indicating robbed out foundations to the former manor house) are visible as earthworks on air photographs. In the vicinity there are also earthworks of a post medieval trackway and a ha ha belonging to the present Frickley Hall. They are centred at SE 4699 0848.
The ditches are on the site of Frickley Old Hall at SE 4714 0855. Around them and extending further to the south. To the west of the ornamental lake there is a possible trackway and a ha ha. (PastScape)

The Anne family were prominent in the Doncaster area from at least the early 14th century, when Sir William de Anne was Constable of Tickhill Castle, and they are first recorded as lords of Frickley in 1379. (Nick Kingsley 2014

Comments

Wide moat but small enclosed area. Just on the edge of what might be reasonably considered 'fortified' but Anne family of a status where it could be expected their house would express that status in a military architecture form.