DescriptionThe monument is situated on the north-facing slope of a low hill within the outskirts of Solihull and includes a moated site and the earthwork remains of a section of a hollow way. The moated site has external dimensions of approximately 137 metres north to south and 115 metres east to west. The steep sided moat ditches are dry and measure up to 7 metres wide and 2.5 metres deep. External banks are visible on all four sides of the moated site and although the northern and eastern banks have been lowered they can be traced on the ground surface. The banks are approximately 12 metres wide at their base and have an average height of 1.8 metres. The moated island is 0.65 hectares in area and slopes gradually from south to north. There is an internal enclosure bank on the west, north and east sides of the island, running parallel to the moat ditches. An excavation across a section of the inner bank in 1985 provided evidence for the bank's construction; deposits of stony clay mounded up over a sandy gravel core. A second bank was located beneath the inner one which consists of a sandy bank revetted on either side by bands of cobbles set in clay. This feature is earlier in date than the inner bank and employs a different construction technique. An excavation in the southern half of the moated island has indicated that the structures which originally occupied the island will survive as buried features. The remains of a small structure, bounded by walls set within shallow foundation slots, were located. Excavations within the moat have recovered evidence for a collapsed sandstone wall, and suggested a late 13th century date for its construction. The remains of the wall had been overlain by the base of a later structure. Immediately alongside the north side of Hob's Moat are the earthwork remains of a hollow way which is medieval in origin. (PastScape)
Hob's Moat survives well and displays a wide range of characteristics associated with this class of monument, including evidence for a causeway and an internal bank. The moat ditches have silted naturally and will retain both artefactual and environmental evidence for the occupation of the site and the economy of its inhabitants. Part excavation has indicated that the moated island retains structural evidence for the house which originally existed here. The adjacent section of hollow way is clearly associated with the occupation of Hob's Moat and it illustrates the wider setting of the moated site. As a monument which is open to the public, Hob's Moat serves as a valuable educational resource and public amenity.
The monument is situated on the north facing slope of a low hill within the outskirts of Solihull and includes a moated site, known as Hob's Moat, and the earthwork remains of a section of a hollow way. The moated site has external dimensions of approximately 137m north to south and 115m east to west. The steep sided moat ditches are dry and measure up to 15m wide and 2.5m deep. External banks are visible on all four sides of the moated site and, although the northern and eastern banks have been lowered, they can be traced on the ground surface. The banks are approximately 12m wide at their base and have an average height of 1.8m. The moated island is 0.5ha in area and slopes gradually from south to north. There is an internal enclosure bank on the west, north and east sides of the island, running parallel to the moat ditches; its height is greatest at the corners. An excavation across a section of the inner bank in 1985 provided evidence for the bank's construction; deposits of stony clay mounded up over a sandy gravel core. A second bank was located beneath the inner one which consists of a sandy bank revetted on either side by bands of cobbles set in clay. This feature is earlier in date than the inner bank and employs a different construction technique. An excavation in the southern half of the moated island has indicated that the structures which originally occupied the island will survive as buried features. The remains of a small structure, bounded by walls set within shallow foundation slots, were located during the excavation. A number of fragments of 13th century pottery were also recovered. Access onto the moated island is by means of a causeway midway along the eastern moat ditch. This corresponds with an adjacent break in the inner bank and is considered to be an original entrance. A second break in the bank is visible approximately 25m to the north of the causeway. An excavation within this break has recovered evidence for a collapsed sandstone wall, and suggested a late 13th century date for its construction. The remains of the wall had been overlaid by an area of cobbling, approximately 2m square, and this was thought to represent the base of a structure situated on the inside edge of the break in the bank. There is a third gap in the inner bank at the north eastern corner of the moated site which is thought to be an original feature which allowed water to drain from the moated island itself into the moat. Immediately alongside the northern side of Hob's Moat are the earthwork remains of a hollow way. It is medieval in origin and is thought to have run westwards to connect Hob's Moat with Castle Lane, which is mentioned in a documentary record of 1339 and runs to the west and south of the moated site. The hedgerow which defines the northern side of the hollow way has been the subject of a species count which has indicated that it may be c.650 years old and, therefore, contemporary with the earliest references to Castle Lane. The visible earthworks of the hollow way are included in the scheduling in order to preserve the relationship between this feature and the moated site itself. Hob's Moat is traditionally associated with the Odinsells family, from whom its name is derived, and the evidence from archaeological excavation indicates that it was occupied until the end of the 13th or the early 14th century. (Scheduling Report)
I found a large Moat, containing within it at least an Acre, whereon they say a Castle long since was situate, though now nothing be left thereof (a parcell of old Oaks growing where the buildings stood.) which tradition hath the more colour of truth, forasmuch as there is a Lane, near at hand, bearing the name of
Castle Lane. Some of the neighbourhood do call this
Hoggs moat, which I concieve is intended
Odingsells moat, by corrupt pronunciation now so termed; for I have seen the name
Odingsells very antiently written
Hoginsells. Which grounds being at least a mile diameter, have heretofor been a Park, as the Country people say, and is probable enough from the large bank that lieth on the out side of them, invironed with Lanes: Not far from whence, are the
Vestigia of three very large Pooles, long ago converted to meadow ground. (Dugdale)
