More information : [ST 34081779] Merryfield [GT] (Remains of)
ST 33981779] Moat [GT]. (1)
The manor Merryfield (many variant spellings) is mentioned in
1327 and later. The house was demolished soon after 1618. The
moat remains with collapsed stone sides and the area of the house
can be traced by rubble and one corner-wall. Woodhouse Farm,
alsmhouses at Ilton and other local buildings are said to contain
re-used material from the house. A boulder[the description suggests
an erratic] in the former courtyard, is the subject of local
legends. (2-5)
The site of the manor-house cannot now be deduced with accuracy.
The uneven area of pasture enclosed by the moat has a surface
scatter of rubble with a few fragments of medieval ridge tiles and
pottery. Much of the stone retaining wall survives on the inner
side of the moat and the causeway is an original feature.
A large and almost dry pond at ST 33991786 was probably a
fishpond associated with the manor-house. Another pond at
ST 33941782 is more doubtful and may be relatively modern. Surveyed
at 1/2500. (The boulder, probably an erratic, measured 2.0m by
1.0m and is at ST 33931781). (6)
No change. (7)
No change. (8)
The water-filled moat and the adjacent linear water-filled ponds are
all heavily silted and overgrown. The crumbling inner stone wall of
the moat is visible in places; the interior, disturbed by numerous
shallow stone robbing pits, is under grass. The large, earthfast
boulder, survives in situ. (9)
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