Lower Hyde Moat

Description

Situated in SW area of Lower Hyde it is an island surrounded by a moat. The island is 35m by 40m. The E and N arms widen to 20m by 20m to form a pond. Connected on NE side is the round moat (SMR 2556). Members of the archaeology section of the Woolhope Club visited the site (24/02/93) and noted signs of buried stone on the site. It is a low level motte or mound with possible remains of a substantial wall revetting the mound. The mound appears to have some buried foundations. There is the possibility of a shell keep revetting the mound. Provisional dating (although not certain) can be made from the mid to late C12 by the odd pieces of diagonal tooled stone around the site. There has been some disturbance on the site with later building which means the surviving evidence must be treated with caution. (Herefordshire SMR)

buried and earthwork remains of a rectangular moat, a round moat and a cider mill, located 300m east of The Hyde, at Lower Hyde. The rectangular moat is situated in the south western part of the area and comprises an island surrounded by a moat. The island, which is uneven, measures approximately 35m by 40m. No trace of the original access, which is likely to have been by bridge, is visible. The moat survives to a depth of up to 3m and is up to 12m wide. It is water-filled in the northern and southern arms, and is waterlogged in the western arm. The eastern end of the northern arm widens to approximately 20m by 20m forming a small pond. The eastern arm has been largely infilled but is visible as a slight depression, and will survive as a buried feature. Immediately adjacent to and connected with the north east corner of the rectangular moat is the round moat. It is sub-circular in form and encloses a low, circular island of up to 15m diameter and up to 1.5m high. The moat measures up to 3m deep and 30m wide and is waterlogged. The moat is less distinct to the south of the island. Located midway between the two moated sites are the remains of a cider mill consisting of the circular stone base trough in which the wheel would have run. This trough measures approximately 3m in diameter by approximately 0.5m high. (Scheduling Report)

Comments

Appears to be a better quality moat, with extended outworks, rather than a castle site but it may be the later medieval works do overlay and have altered earlier works.