Monument record MLI50275 - Seney Place Moated Site

Summary

The remains of a medieval moated monastic retreat known as Seney Place.

Type and Period (3)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

PRN50275 The moated site lies on the north-west edge of the small low island that gives Southrey its name, and outside the pattern of village properties lying to the south-east. The site is notable for its well-documented specialized function. It was created as a place of retreat for blood-letting and recuperation for the monks of Bardney Abbey - a use reflected in its name of 'Senny Place'. The 15th century grave-slab of Prior Walter de Langton at Bardney Abbey records that he constructed the site from new 'cum clausura et ponti(bus)'. The site was listed as the 'manerium voc. Seny Place' at the suppression of Bardney Abbey and valued at £4 13s.4d.; as the 'grange called Seny Place or Southery Grange', it was granted to Robert Tyrwhitt in 1539. Bardney glebe terriers record 'the hall farm of Southrow...called Senox (or Seny) Place' and the farm of 'Senex Place' in the early 18th century. In 1841 land associated with 'the hall farm in Southrey...formerly called Senex Place' extended to 178 acres (74ha) in a block north and east of the site. Buildings still stood on the southern end of the island in the early to mid 19th century, although the farmhouse had been moved outside to the south; this was replaced later in the century by 'The Poplars'. The site consists of a rectangular moat with a wet ditch generally 1 to 2m deep, fed by a stream channel from the north; the south arm has been partly filled by post dissolution occupation and partly destroyed by a large pond. The ditch is shown interrupted on the north and on the east on the enclosure and tithe maps of 1840 and 1841, and the shallowness of the ditch and the shelving of its scarps at these points may reflect early features, perhaps the documented bridges. Much of the east side of the platform, however, is occupied by what appears to have been a long range of buildings, now represented by very substantial foundations up to 1m high, with some signs of cross-divisions. A low bank survives along the inner scarp on the north and west with a circular mound 0.75m high at the north-west corner. The southern third of the platform is much disturbed, apparently by recent farm activity, including building foundations and a platform. These tally approximately with the positions of buildings shown on the mid 19th century maps. A broad low outer bank along the west side served as the headland for ridge-and-furrow to the west. Beyond the moat to the north the ridges of the furlong run on to a headland along the water channel. This suggests that the moat was a late intruder into former arable land, which continued to be ploughed to a shorter length, and corroborates the documentary evidence for the creation of the site. {3} The monastic retreat at Seney Place is scheduled (31608). {9}

Sources/Archives (9)

  •  Index: OS CARD INDEX. BARDNEY. TF 16 NW:5,1964, HARPER F R.
  •  Index: SMR FILE. BARDNEY. TF 16 NW:P,1977, WHITE, A.J..
  •  Bibliographic Reference: P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn. 1991. Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire. pp48-9,63-4 Fig 48; NOTES.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: P.L. Everson, C.C. Taylor and C.J. Dunn. 1991. Change and Continuity: Rural Settlement in North-West Lincolnshire. FIG 48.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: THOMPSON, A.H.. 1918. VISITATIONS OF RELIGIOUS HOUSES II. VOL 14 P14.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram. 1989. Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition). 2nd Rev Edn p668.
  •  Article in Serial: BRAKSPEAR, H.. 1922. ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL. VOL 79 PP 65-7.
  •  Article in Serial: 1982. MOATED SITES RESEARCH GROUP. P 13 NO 9.
  •  Scheduling Record: English Heritage. 1999. Scheduling document 31608. MPP 22.

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Grid reference Centred TF 1339 6704 (161m by 216m)
Civil Parish BARDNEY, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

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Record last edited

Mar 21 2021 8:35PM

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