LOW GRANGE FARM

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Site of manor house, built between 1258 and 1273. A watermill, dovecote and park were associated with the manor, the mill and dovecote recorded in the 14th century and the park documented in the 15th and 17th centuries. The site was excavated in 1961 and traces of a supposed moat reinterpreted as a drain or a fishpond. The valley to the east of the site had been dammed to create a shallow lake which may also have been used as a fishpond. The easternmost of the farm buildings now occupying the site was also investigated and found to incorporate medieval remains.

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[NZ 4692 2536] Moat [GT] (1)

A manor house was built at Bewley by Prior Hugh de Darlington between 1258 and 1273 (a). A water mill, a dovehouse and a park were attached to the manor. The watermill and dove-house are mentioned in the C14th and the park in the C15th and C17th. (b & c). The manor house seems to have fallen into decay during the C17th. The site of the Manor house of Bewley from which the village is named is not certainly known, but there are traces of a moat at Low Grange. (2)

[Extends from NZ 4681 2542 to NZ 4691 2532]. The remains of the moat consist of a lynchet 1.2m high running west to east joined to a ditch 13.0m wide and 2.0m deep running north to south. The ditch is dry and the whole area is under pasture. There are no traces of the other two sides of the moat and no structural remains within the partly enclosedarea. [NZ4686 2528] The most easterly of the farm buildings at Low Grange is a rectangular two-storied building 14.0m long by 7.3m wide and built of much weathered stone, with a modern roof. It is in a poor state of preservation and is disused except for a portion of the upper floor now being used as a grain store. Some of its architectural features suggest that this building may be the remains of the manor house mentioned by Auth 2. (GPs 53/133/1 & 2)

No trace could be found of a water mill or dove house. (3)

Only the west ditch of this moat now remains. This extends from NZ 4692 2540 - NZ4691 2532 and has been resurveyed at 1:2500. The north arm, and part of the northern portion of the west ditch has been levelled by building operations now taking place in the immediate vicinity. The contractors of this work stated that the existing remains will be left in their present form. The buildings of Low Grange are unchanged and their description correct. (4)

Excavations at Low Grange Farm in 1960-1 showed the following features.

At NZ 46862528 a stone building having 13th century characteristics was joined at the corner by earlier foundations of a building which had been in use whilst the later was constructed. Plan I.

a. NZ 46922540 to NZ 46912533. A large ditch, 250 ft long and approximately 20 ft wide, marked as a "Moat" on OS maps was sectioned, but does not appear to have been a moat. Small spoil heaps were present on both banks, these are of the same age as can be seen by the fact that ridge and furrow overlies them. They presumably represent ditch cleanings. The ditch appeared to have been an overflow or feeder drain for the dammed valley (see b. on Plan II) although a small pond at the north end indicated its possible use for fish breeding.

b. NZ 46962529. A dam, 20 ft wide and 6 ft high lying across a shallow valley would have formed a small lake, presumably a fishpond. The dam was partially destroyed in 1941, and a stream now cuts through. Plan II.

OS and RAF air photograph cover not available. (5)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1954

( 2a) General reference

Hist Dunelm Script Tres (Surt Soc) 46

( 2b) General reference

Dur Acct R (Surt Soc) 1 pp 51 121, 2 pp 319, 3 p 638

( 2c) General reference

Close, 1649 pt.8 m.35

( 2) edited by William Page 1928 The Victoria history of the county of Durham, volume three

The Victoria history of the counties of England VCH Durham 3 (1928) pp.196, 198 Page(s)196 198

( 3) Field Investigators Comments

F1 EG 30-SEP-53

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F2 ECW 02-JUL-62

( 5) Transactions of the Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland

T Durham & Northum Archit AS, 11 1958-65 391-403. 11 Page(s)391-403

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