Site Event/Activity record ECH4700 - Moated Site & Fishpond of Huntington Hall - Site visits ahead of Higher Level Stewardship application

As the site it is not under arable and is graded at Low risk. However there are some management issues: The medieval moated site survives well as an island with dry but clearly defined earthworks on the northern and eastern sides. The fishpond outside the north-eastern corner remains wet. The entrance across the northern ditch is clear as an earthwork. The western and southern sides are wet ditches with hedges and trees along the banks. The gate and route through the field boundary next to the western corner of the scheduled monument is cutting away the outer bank. In order to prevent this the gateway could be moved a little to the west to stop the pressure on the edge of the monument. The fishpond is wet and generally in good condition, however the willow scrub growing here will eventually develop into trees. While small bushes and hedgerows are not really a problem, tree growth is detrimental to sites like this one because the roots grow through the buried archaeology and break it up. When those located on banks fall over, the banks are broken down and the earthworks lose their definition. In the fishpond the root growth will disturb and contaminate the palaeo-environmental information for the medieval period that will survive in the undisturbed waterlogged conditions of the pond. Deep rooting shrubs/trees can be controlled here by cutting off and treating the stumps (no grubbing up). There is a telegraph pole on the monument. Should there be any upgrading of this line, it should be moved off the site. The 'hedges' along the western and southern sides of the moat do not appear to be being managed. There are a couple of mature oak trees (one in the south-western corner and the other in the middle of the southern boundary) which can stay as their roots have probably done all they are going to do, however they need monitoring to prevent damage from wind throw as described above. These hedgerows require regular cutting. The ditches should be kept clear of new debris so that they remain wet and the earthwork layout of the site remains clear. It would be illegal to plough on the scheduled site. I am unsure of the management of the adjacent fields to the west and south and would ask you to note that the scheduled area does extend into the perimeter of these fields. There is also a 2m boundary beyond the archaeological features that is included in the scheduling to help safeguard the site. If there is ploughing in these fields it must be kept off the monument and the 2m boundary.