“A moated manor house?”, you say. You might be surprised to know that this place, Penne’s Place, is a double moated site, with two rectangular enclosures. The eastern enclosure is larger, measuring about 55 meters by 130 meters, including a 12-meter wide, water-filled moat that surrounds it. Yes, that’s right, two moats! The smaller enclosure, immediately to the west, originally measured about 60 meters by 105 meters, but only the north arm now survives as an earthwork feature. The remaining west and south arms have been filled in over the years. The flat interior of the smaller enclosure is believed to be the site of the original Penne’s Place manor house. But alas, very little of the original structure remains.
Imagine this: you’re standing in the heart of Hertfordshire, a county just north of London. In the 13th century, families like the Penne family chose to live in these moated enclosures. Just how many of these moated sites are scattered throughout England? You won’t believe it! It’s around 6,000! In the 13th and 14th centuries, they were fashionable, acting as a status symbol rather than a practical military defense. You’re looking at a good example of a double moated site. While Penne’s Place has undergone some changes over the centuries, it still retains a lot of archaeological potential. So if you’re ever in the area and fancy stepping back in time, take a stroll over here and imagine the lives of those who once called Penne’s Place home.