Kengham

Description

Gilbertus Chasteleyn was granted a licence to crenellate his 'mansum' at Kengham in 1347. Parker suggests Kingham in Oxfordshire as the site for this licence, an identification confirmed by Dr Charles Coulson.

A previously unknown moated site now under pasture (PRN 11854; Centred SP25902420) reported by Mr N Snell of Kingham Hill Trust Farms has been examined with the help of James Bond of Oxfordshire Department of Museum Services and surveyed. The moat is three-sided with a rectangular interior raised about 1m above the bottom of the ditch. The north-west side is demarcated by a hollow way. Differential grass growth in the interior may reflect building foundations. Beyond the north-east arm of the moat is a prominent external bank rising some 2m above the bottom of the moat and forms the south-western side of a larger rectangular enclosure surrounded by smaller ditches, with a mound in the east corner. This enclosure suggests a garden area. If the main moat enclosed a Medieval manor house then this home appears to have been superseded by a later Medieval or very early Post-Medieval timber-framed manor house to the south-east which was demolished and rebuilt in 1922. (Chambers 1980)

Field called Henry Fowler's Orchard and Part of Fowler's Orchard in 1840 (Tithe Award Map)
Three-sided rectangular moated site. Max height from bottom of moat to top of platform is ca 2.25m. Interior may contain building foundations, revealed by differential grass growth. Beyond the NE arm is a prominent external bank rising c.7-8' above bottom of moat, marking the SW side of the a larger rectangular enclosure surrounded by smaller ditches, with a mound in the east corner - perhaps a garden area. Under pasture and in good condition (Chambers)
Previous landscaping of garden where the proposed development is located had removed all archaeological deposits. (John Moore Heritage Services 2007) (Oxfordshire HER)