Blog – The Mounts: Mounts Moat.

• Pachesham, Leatherhead, Surrey.
• OSGB – TQ 15442 57823
• Scheduled Monument.

Medieval Moated Site.

Mounts Moat is situated in the Manor of Pachesham, which originally included Leatherhead.

The site comprises of a continuous moat surrounding an almost oval platform which measures 45m by 30m. There is evidence of banks located to the northeast.

Excavations undertaken in 1949 revealed earthworks, a chapel, Great Hall, a well, evidence of a once graveled court-yard, building foundations and the possible remains of a Roman Villa. A rubbish pit, measuring 3.65m by 2.13m, was also discovered, and this included pottery, bones, charcoal, oyster shells, stone, bronze and iron artefacts and Roman tile – the dating of which can be seen below in the timeline.

As with the majority of moated sites, the history is very grey – so research tends to focus on the people associated with them. Some well-known names and personalities are associated with this unassuming site.

Here is the timeline.

Saxon                    Held by Ǽlmer, under Edward the Confessor.

Domesday Book  Land owned by the Bishop of Bayeux, and included demesne, mill and a wood.

*                            Held by Bishop Hugh de Port.

1087-1100          The Manor reverted to the Crown.

1150-1280          Dating from: Rubbish found in the pit excavated in 1949.

12^th C                   Bones and pottery dated from the pit excavated in 1949.

12^th-13^th C          Bones, pottery and charcoal dated from the pit excavated in 1949.

12^th-14^th C          Occupied.

1248                     A weekly fair was granted to the Lord of the Manor to be held in Leatherhead.

c.1280                  Oyster shells, bones and pottery dated from the pit excavated in 1949.

1286-1343          “The Lords of Pachesham were Royal Administrators” and spent little time at the site (Razi & Smith 1996).

1286                      Peter de Wateville sold the Manor to Sir Eustace de la Hache.

1287-1293           Sir Eustace de la Hache diverted a Royal Way around 18 acres of land he had enclosed.

1290-1291          The Medieval Manor was constructed by Sir Eustace de la Hache.

1290-1350          Late phase of occupation dated to.

1294                    Sir Eustace de la Hache visited Gascony.

13^th C                 Late: Occupied. A Gascony Style jug was uncovered dated from the pit excavated in 1949.

<13^th C               Evidence of an earlier structure being on the site of the Medieval manor.

1300-1350          Pottery dated from the pit excavated in 1949.

1307                    Edward II granted the Manor to Piers de Gaveston.

1309                    Edward II granted the Manor to Robert Darcy.

1327                     Owner Robert Darcy was granted Free Warren on the Manor, as well as a weekly market to be held on Fridays and Frank Pledge.

1343                    The site was no longer considered to be of any significant value. Robert Darcy died and was succeeded by his daughter

1344                    Robert Darcy died, and his daughter inherited the Manor. She was married to Sir John Argentine.

1365                    Sir John Argentine was Lord of the Manor.

1382                    Sir John Argentine died, and his daughter Maud succeeded him. She was married to Ivo FitzWarren, and he became Lord of the Manor,

1386                   William Wymeldon was granted a life lease on the Manor by the owners Sir Ivo FitzWaryn and his wife Lady Matilda. The main residence was pulled down.

1393                   Sir Ivo FitzWaryn and his wife Lady Matilda entered the Manor to collect fees which had not been paid and discovered that the site had been destroyed by the tenant, he had also cut down oak trees.

1414                    Sir Ivo FitzWaryn died and was succeeded by his daughter Eleanor, wife of John Chideok.

1420                    The Manor was held by William Massey.

1538                    The Manor was held jointly by John Bacon and Reginald Rakett.

*                           John Bacon and Reginald Rakett conveyed the Manor to William Stydolf.

1545                    William Stydolf was succeeded by his son John.

1859                    Brass Roman coins and Roman tile fragments were found at the site.

1947 – 1949        Excavated.

1965                   Field Investigation.

References & Bibliography

Brayley. E. W., & Britton. J. 1841. A Topographical History of Surrey. Robert Best.

Bright. J. S. 1884. A History of Dorking and the Neighbouring Parishes. R. J. Clark.

Emery. F. 1962. Moated Settlements in England. Geography, 47(4), 378-388. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org.rp.nla.gov.au/stable/40565459.

Goodall. I. H. 2017. Ironwork in Medieval Britain: An Archaeological Study: V. 31: An Archaeological Study. Taylor & Francis

Harvey. J. H. 1948. “The Mounts,” Pachesham (Manor of Pachenesham Magna): Second Interim Report on the Excavations (19th July-2lst August). Proceedings of The Leatherhead & District Local History Society. Vol. 1., No.2., (1948), pp. 5-10.

Historic England. 2021. Medieval Moated Site, The Mounts, Pachesham Farm. Available at https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1012996.

Nevill. R. 1891. Old Cottage and Domestic Architecture in South-West Surrey And Notes on the Early History of the Division. Billing & Sons.

“Parishes: Leatherhead.” A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3. Ed. H E Malden. London: Victoria County History, 1911. 293-301. British History Online. Web. 7 April 2021. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/surrey/vol3/pp293-301.

Public Records Office. 1894. Calendar of the Patent Rolls Preserved in the Public Record Office: Edward II. H. M. Stationary Office.

Razi. Z., & Smith. R. M. 1996 . Medieval Society and the Manor Court. Clarendon Press.