CLOTHALL CASTLE

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DESCRIPTION

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Earthworks of castle, later used as a manor house, and alleged site of a house belonging to Clothall Leper hopital. Inhumations have been found on the site, suggesting it may have been the site of the leper hospital burial ground. A dry homestead moat, circa 74.0m East-West by about 80.0m North-South overall, with an original entrance on the south side. The arms are 8.0m wide and 2.0m deep, with a retaining bank on the North and West sides. To the west of the moat is a banked Mediaeval boundary ditch and also traces of a supply ditch to the North-West corner of the moat.

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(TL 2718 3147) Moat (NR) (1)

A homestead moat lies to the west of Hooksgreen Farm. (2)

This moat is held by tradition to be the second site for Clothall
Hospital. (See TL 23 SE13 ) (3)

A dry homestead moat, circa 74.0m E-W by about 80.0m N-S overall, with an original entrance on the south side. The arms are 8.0m wide and 2.0m deep, with a retaining bank on the N and W sides. To the west of the moat is a banked Md boundary ditch and also traces of a supply ditch to the NW corner of the moat. No trace of any buildings found and no evidence of the "Hospital" site. (4)

Re-surveyed at 1:2500.

"Of Clothall Castle there remains today the inner and outer moats, both clearly defined (see plan). The inner moat is full of water and encloses a small meadow, roughly a quarter-circle in shape, where on stood in turn the keep, base-court and inner bailey of the castle, the manor house of the Hauvilles and the manor house of the Hospital (TL 23 SE 13). All trace of these buildings is lost. The outer moat which is dry and encloses a large tract of meadow surrounding the inner moat, lies for a part of its course in the green, wet lane which runs from Hock's Green to Hickman's Hill. The meadow to the W of the inner bailey, and within this moat, was in turn the outer bailey, the site of the manor house outbuildings, and that of the Hospital chapel and outbuildings. The entrance of the castle stood close to the NW angle of the outer bailey, between two mounds. When the meadow to the N was drained some 40 years ago to fit it for cultivation as allotments, many human bones were unearthed, indicating that in the past it was utilised as a burial-ground for the Hospital". (5)

"Semi-circular ditched enclosure beside lane east of Hickman's Hill with irregular quadrilateral in eastern half. Two mounds may mark the site of a gatehouse". (6)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1960

( 2) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1910 An inventory of the historical monuments in Hertfordshire

Page(s)81

( 3) edited by William Page 1912 The Victoria history of the county of Hertford, volume three

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)221

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 PAS 19-FEB-73

( 5) Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society

H C Andrews 4, 1909-10 Page(s)90

( 6) General reference

Mediaeval Castles in Hertfordshire 1971 16 (D Renn)

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