| Summary : A moated manorial site located some 850 metres to the south of the River Waveney. The moat, which ranges in width between 15 metres and 20 metres, is water-filled on the north side and elsewhere, although partly silted, remains open to a depth of up to 2.5 metres and is seasonally wet. It surrounds an ovoid central platform with maximum dimensions of 65 metres east-west by 48 metres, raised up to 0.5 metres above the prevailing ground level and with the spread remains of an internal bank standing to a height of 0.5 metres above this around the southern and eastern side. On the western edge of the platform there is an earthen mound measuring 13 metres in length north-south by 9 metres and standing to a height of up to 2 metres which may have supported a tower. Fragments of medieval clay roof tile observed on the surface of the interior provided evidence for the medieval manor house which once stood there, and fragments of pottery dated to the 13th century were found during cleaning of the northern part of the moat. Occupation of the moated site probably ended during the beginning of the 17th century, when the present Wade Hall, which stands immediately to the south of the moat was built. The manor of Wathe or Wade Hall was held in the mid 12th century by Robert Watheby of Cumberland, in the 13th century by the Jernegan family, and in the second quarter of the 16th century by William Rede. |