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MONUMENT NO. 1358188

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A probable medieval manorial complex surviving as earthworks in paddocks on the northern edge of the village of Boltby. The principal earthwork remains are a fairly well preserved square moat-like enclosure with a sub-rectangular fishpond attached to it. These lie within an embanked oval enclosure of some 2ha, which appears to have been laid out over ridge and furrow. A scatter of sherds of medieval pottery, ranging from the 13th to the 16th centuries, have been recovered from within the enclosure. Documentary research suggests that the complex may represent the manor house of the de Boltby family, first mentioned c1131. However, the most influential member of the family, Eva de Boltby, who is widely mentioned between 1274 and 1316, evidently lived in a large manor house at nearby Ravensthorpe. This suggests that by that date the supposed house at Boltby, which is not explicitly menttioned in the doscumentary sources, was already regarded as being of lesser importance. The earthworks were surveyed by English Heritage in 2002; subsequent geophysical survey confirmed a number of the observations. The earthworks are also visible on air photographs and have been mapped as part of the North York Moors National Mapping Programme project.

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(SE 4892 8673) In April 2002, English Heritage carried out an analytical field survey of the probable manorial site at Boltby in response to a request from the Boltby Millennium Group (Event Record 1379759).

The site was photographed from the air in 1973 by JK St Joseph, but no firm interpretation of the earthworks was reached. Examination of the photo in 1992 by Graham Lee, the North York Moors National Park Conservation Officer, led to a visit on the ground and the identification of a possible fishpond, and subsequently to further aerial photography by Blaise Vyner in January 2001 and documentary research by the Boltby Millennium Group.

The probable medieval manorial complex survives as earthworks in paddocks on the northern edge of the village of Boltby. The principal earthwork remains are a fairly well preserved square moat-like enclosure, with a large rectangular building platform within it. A spring-fed sub-rectangular fishpond is attached to the north-east corner of the moat-like enclosure, on the same alignment as its eastern side. These features lie within an embanked oval enclosure of some 2ha, which appears to have been laid out over ridge and furrow. A scatter of sherds of medieval pottery, ranging from the 13th to the 16th centuries, have been recovered from within the enclosure. Documentary research suggests that the complex may represent the manor house of the de Boltby family, first mentioned c1131. However, the most influential member of the family, Eva de Boltby, who is widely mentioned between 1274 and 1316, evidently lived in a large manor house at nearby Ravensthorpe. This suggests that by that date the supposed house at Boltby, which is not explicitly menttioned in the documentary sources, was already regarded as being of lesser importance.

Following the earthwork survey by English Heritage, geophysical survey by Geoquest Associates confirmed a number of the observations. A possible ditch, not traceable as an earthwork, was identified, suggesting that the fishpond may have formed the eastern side of a square enclosure of comparable size to the moat-like enclosure, forming a symmetrical arrangement. The survey detected no evidence for building foundations on the probable building platform within the moat-like enclosure, but also failed to detect the foundations of two post-medieval cottages surviving as earthworks, and shown on the Tithe Map of 1847.

For further details, see Archaeological Investigation Report AI/19/2002, which includes photographs, plans at various scales and a full textual description and analysis. (1)

The probable medieval manorial complex is visible as earthworks on air photographs, centred at SE 4894 4867. The moat, suggested pond, portion of the outer enclosure and various other earthworks consisting of banks and ditches have been mapped as part of the North York Moors National Mapping Programme project. The photogrpahs listed by the above authorities were not available for use for this project.
(2-3)

SOURCE TEXT

(1) Field Investigators Comments

English Heritage: Boltby manor survey

(2) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

NMR OS/72028 286 21-MAR-1972

(3) Vertical aerial photograph reference number

NMR MAL/73022 49 16-MAY-1973

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