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Anstey Hales Farm

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Hales Hill

In the civil parish of Anstey.
In the historic county of Hertfordshire.
Modern Authority of Hertfordshire.
1974 county of Hertfordshire.
Medieval County of Hertfordshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: TL41173288
Latitude 51.97646° Longitude 0.05393°

Anstey Hales Farm has been described as a Timber Castle although is doubtful that it was such, and also as a Fortified Manor House although is doubtful that it was such.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

Medieval moated mound - possible 'vicars moat'. (PastScape)

Square moat enclosing pyramidal mound with hollowed-out top. Gap in west side of counterscarp bank. (Renn 1971)
Comments

Doubtful as a castle since Anstey Hall Motte and Bailey nearby and unlikely to be a precursor since both small and not as near to parish church as Anstey Hall. This would be an ordinary homestead moat if it did not have a pyramidal mound in it. Is this mound an original feature, a later landscaping feature to produce a 'summer house' or just a collapsed square (?cob) building?
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

Data >
PastScape   County HER   Scheduling        
Maps >
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Data/Maps > 
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Sources of information, references and further reading
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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.
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This record last updated 26/07/2017 09:19:31

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