Aldingham Grange (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Moat Farm

In the civil parish of Aldingham.
In the historic county of Lancashire.
Modern Authority of Cumbria.
1974 county of Cumbria.
Medieval County of Lancashire North of the Sands.

OS Map Grid Reference: SD27817003
Latitude 54.12105° Longitude -3.10598°

Aldingham Grange has been described as a probable Fortified Manor House.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

Moat Farm moated site survives reasonably well and remains largely unencumbered by modern development. It will retain evidence for the building which originally occupied the island during the medieval centuries. Additionally organic material will be preserved among the mud and silts of the waterlogged moat. Its group relationship to the ringwork and motte at Aldingham also contributes to its importance.
The monument includes Moat Farm medieval moated site. It is located close to the sea shore a short distance north of Moat Hill (Aldingham motte and bailey castle, the subject of a separate scheduling) which it superseded as home of the Le Fleming family. It includes a rectangular island or platform surrounded by a waterlogged moat. The island has been raised slightly above the level of the surrounding land using the upcast from the digging of the moat, and measures approximately 32m east-west by 28m north-south. The surrounding moat measures c.13m-18m wide and 1.5m deep. The monument is thought to be the site of the medieval manor house of Michael Le Fleming, Lord of Aldingham, prior to the family's move to Gleaston Castle. (Scheduling Report)

About 100 yds due N of Aldingham Mote is a homestead moat. Probably the site of the early 12th cent manor house of Michael le Fleming. Apparently it never containing stone buildings (VCH; Curwen; F1 EG 16-JUN-58).
The moat ditch is complete and waterfilled, almost throughout. The interior shows no visual evidence of occupation (F2 FRH 18-JAN-67).
Moat Farm moated site; the island measures approximately 32m east-west by 28m north-south, the surrounding moat measures c13m-18m wide and 1.5m deep, scheduled (English Heritage SAM Amendment 18.10.95).
A medieval moat is visible as an earthwork on air photographs, centred at SD 2781 7003. The feature is sub-rectangular in shape and measures 28m by 30m. The feature is extant on the latest 1998 NMR oblique photography (Oblique aerial photograph reference number - NMR SD 2770/2 (17152/08) 24-AUG-1998). (PastScape)

12th century Square moated grange. Le Flemings in 1127. The land of Muchland.
Possibly replaced the Motte and was replaced by Gleaston (Curwen).
Held by Flemings of the Honour of Lancaster until 1227, thereafter held of the Abbot of Furness. De Harrington granted a licence to empark 1341. He died here 1363.
Housestead moat. Probably the site of an early 12th century manor house of Le Fleming. No traces of stonework (SMR record). (Perriam and Robinson 1998)

Comments

Is the C12 date for this square moat confirmed by archaeological evidence? It seems in the 19th century when the nature of the motte was not understood it was identifed as the site of the house of Le Fleming but it seems more likely the early Fleming house was in the bailey of Aldingham Motte which was abandoned in the mid-C13, presumably for this site. The 1227 change of overlordship may well be significant.

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Scheduled Monument Number 1013820, Legacy Scheduled Monument Number 27683
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 38085.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 2337.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Matthew Emmott's Castle Blog
  Old Cumbria Gazetteer
Books
- Elsworth, D. and Mace, T., (eds.), 2015, Aldingham Motte, Cumbria and its environs in the Medieval period (Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society; Cumbria Archaeological Research Reports Series 5)
  Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 375
  Curwen, J.F., 1913, Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire North of the Sands (Kendal: T. Wilson) p. 34 (plan), 47
  Farrer, William and Brownbill, J. (eds), 1914, VCH Lancashire Vol. 8 p. 320 online transcription
  Cowper, H. Swainton, 1908, 'Ancient Earthworks:- Lancashire North of the Sands' in Farrer, William and Brownbill, J. (eds), VCH Lancashire Vol. 2 p. 557 (plan) online copy
Periodical Articles
- Hobbs, 1962, 'Proceedings' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 62 p. 341-5 online copy
  Dickinson, J.C., 1939, 'Proceedings' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 39 p. 304-5 online copy
  Kelly, P.V., 1924, 'Aldingham Motte and Grange' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 24 p. 271 online copy
  Gaythorne, 1906, 'Proceedings' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 6 p. 321 online copy
  1887-8, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 9 p. 409 online copy
  1877-8, Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 3 p. xxx online copy

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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.

The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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