Page:VCH Kent 1.djvu/521

 ANCIENT EARTHWORKS the farm buildings. From its position and surroundings we judge this to be the site of an early settlement, perhaps Saxon or Danish. East Wickham. — Moat House. Part of the moat only exists. ., /•-••• / . >... v.<« The Palace, Eltham. Edenbridge : Broxham. — Here is a fine example of a homestead moat in perfect con- dition, rectangular in shape and well filled with water from a streamlet. Its size is about 270 by 230 ft., the moat being nearly 50 ft. wide. It is just such a strong place as we imagine was necessary in the days when clear- ings for settlement were made in the forest district. Edenbridge: Devil's Den. — About three- quarters of a mile south-east of the church is this smaller but complete moated enclosure. Eltham : The Palace. — In this chapter we have not to notice ancient structures remain- ing, but confine our attention to the earth- work defence. In type it is that of a home- stead moat, though of larger size than is usually attained by such simple works. Here we find the enclosure surrounded by a wide moat, so made as to form a water-level, the west-north-west side being the base, and as will be seen by the sections, the water, if level with the outside on the west, must have been much below the land outside and inside north-east and east, but at the south-west corner an underground passage leading into the moat shows that the water level could not have been much above the present bed of the moat. Now three sides are dry, those south and west being under cultivation as a garden. A brick wall of ancient date can be traced and may once have existed on all sides, but the depth of the moat on the east and west ren- dered such a defence unnecessary. Outside the moat on the south-west the ground is un- even of surface, as if some further defence might once have existed. Eltham : Well Hall.— A deep water moat encloses a rectangular island about 125 by 1 10 ft. in area, adjoining the southern vnng of the Elizabethan house, once the home of Margaret Roper, the daughter of Sir Thomas More. The western arm of the moat ex- tends northward, and may at one time have continued around Well Hall itself. Folkestone : Park Farm. — To the south- east of the farm premises, on one of the foot- hills of the great chalk range, are slight but complicated traces of considerable moating. Goodnestone : Crixhall Farm. — Here is a fairly perfect but small homestead moat. Great Chart : The Moat. — A small but nearly complete example close to the high road half a mile south-west of the church. Great Chart : Singleton. — About half a mile east of the high road, another good home- stead moat. Groombridge Place. — 5.?,? Speldhurst. Harty : Saye's Court. — The nearly cir- cular moat here is probably of early date ; the east and south of the islet of Harty (included as part of Sheppey) lies exposed to the Swale, once the waterway of numerous foes, when anything worth preserving must have needed strong protection. Hawkhurst : Conghurst. — A little more than half the moating is left, enclosing the site of the ancient hall. Herne : Hawe Farm. — The site of a manor house is surrounded by a moat perfect in parts and traceable throughout. Moat at Share Farm, Horsmonden. Horsmonden : Share Farm. — It is not often we see so fine an example of a water-girt defensive enclosure. As the plan indicates, one branch of the river Teise was dammed, 427