More information : [Area centred: TA 1878 1147(1)] Just to the south of the hamlet of Little London, Stallingborough, are enclosures that form, almost certainly, a mediaeval moated site. There is also a mound.(2) The ruined west wing of the manor-house of the Ayscoghe family at Stallingborough was still extant in 1834.(3) It is not known if there is any connexion between these two sites. (1-3) The suggested "enclosures" are a fish pond complex with associated drainage. Published survey (25') revised. The Ayscoghe's Manor House cannot now be located; the present named Manor House (TA 206119) is modern and sub-divivded into flats. (4) TA 188116. The site of the old manor house at Little London was levelled in 1965. Pottery found included green and brown glazed, unglazed red, gritted and shelly wares, and 17 jug handles. Nails and other metal objects were also found. The site seems to date from the 14th-18th centuries. (5) TA 188118 (sic). A mound has recently been ploughed at Little London Farm producing 13th-16th cent pottery, chalk rubble foundations and tile. (Mound sited to TA 18791159 on OS 1:10000 1978). (6) TA 18601185. Little London was called Labingeham in Domesday. (7) Centred TA 188118 (sic). Little London moated site. A series of moats, dikes and mounds along the S. bank of the North Beck Drain probably represent a series of moated enclosures and fishpond complex extending over 3ha. The earthworks were levelled 1965, and survive only as slight undulations, and as crop-and soilmarks. (NGR given above is for the present Little London Farm. The former earthworks described are centred to TA 11731152 on OS 1:10000 1978, and appear to represent nothing more than fish ponds and a small building mound. There is no visible evidence to suggest the present farm was ever moated. The Ayscough Manor is now known to have stood at TA 195118 - see TA 11 SE 4). (8)
The Medieval fishponds referred to by the previous authorities were seen as earthworks and then cropmarks and mapped from good quality air photographs. They are more accurately located at TA 1870 1152. The earthworks around Little London Farm, which is 500m to the north, are Medieval settlement remains (see TA 11 SE 25). (Morph No. LI.311.4.1-3)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database. (9) |