Monument record COM 007 - Combs Hall Garden

Please read our .

Summary

Earthwork of medieval fish pond in grassland to the NW of St Mary's church.

Location

Grid reference Centred TM 0495 5700 (171m by 170m)
Map sheet TM05NW
Civil Parish COMBS, MID SUFFOLK, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (3)

Full Description

Earthwork of medieval fish pond in grassland to the NW of St Mary's church. The earthwork is a regular rectangular depression in the valley bottom adjacent to the stream flowing NE, with its long axis along the valley bottom. Its dimensions are circa 120m x 70m (paced and measured from map). Its depth varies from circa 2m on the SE to 1m on the NW. The pond is dammed by an earth bank circa 18m wide and 1.5m high which is separated from the pond by a berm circa 11m wide. The inlet passage is not discernible, the outlet may have been in the N corner. The SE side has been obscured by earth and rubble dumped along its whole length early in 1984, but it is probable no damage was done to the original bank.
Another possible pond further SW and upstream was bulldozed flat by the farmer in early 1984.
Found during course of pasture survey (S1).
Mid Suffolk DC. Gipping Valley warden, after consultation with us, arranged to clear accumulated silting in the pond at the E corner of the pond to encourage newts etc. 1.8m of sterile blue clay silt removed in an area circa 10 x 15m, pond base revealed as coarse gravelly boulder clay. Silt dumped thinly along the E edge which has already been masked by dumping (S2). Shown as a formal rectangular pond on a 1741 map of Combs Hall and its large formal garden (S3)(S4). An earlier map of 1710 shows no pond but names the field as Reed Pond Meadow (S5). See also Combs 009.
For updated survey see (S6).

Sources/Archives (10)

  • <S1> (No record type): SAU, Carr R D, 1984.
  • <M1> Unpublished document: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Parish Files. Parish file: sketch plan; (S3).
  • <S2> (No record type): SAU, Carr R D, January 1990.
  • <M2> (No record type): Pasture Survey record:.
  • <M3> Photograph: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Air Photograph. AP: AJJ 3-6.
  • <S3> (No record type): Archive News, SRO, 2nd ser, 4, April 1991.
  • <S4> (No record type): SRO I, 638.
  • <M4> (No record type): Photographs: AWE 1-12.
  • <S5> (No record type): SRO I, HAI/EAI/22.
  • <S6> Bibliographic reference: Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology. Martin E & Oswald A, 'The House & Gardens of Combs Hall, near Stowmarket', PSIAH, 38, 1996, 409-27,.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (3)

Record last edited

Mar 20 2013 3:25PM

Comments and Feedback

Do you have any more information about this record? Please feel free to comment with information and photographs, or ask any questions, using the "Disqus" tool below. Comments are moderated, and we aim to respond/publish as soon as possible.