Marsh Court, Wincanton

In the civil parish of Wincanton.
In the historic county of Somerset (Modern Authority of Somerset, 1974 county of Somerset).

Site of court house, extant 1485; house AD 1661. Dunning writes house had chapel in C13, dovecot in C14 and suggests this was a substantial house. The complex seems to comprise a double moated enclosure. Marsh Court has one possible moat while the farm buildings to the E also are moated. It is the latter which survives today. The OS 25" map shows both moats in fragmentary states. The one around the main farm house is shown on the W side as a narrow ditch, still water filled which extends to the N and S making three sides. Today this is almost non-existant except for a slight bank around the S and W sides, the latter being disturbed by an access road. The other enclosure is also shown on the map and this survives as a substantial earthwork although infilled in some places. It is water filled on the S and E sides, the W side (making up the common side between both moats) is infilled with farm rubbish. The buildings in this enclosure are recent farm buildings with probably little damage caused to any deposits that may be underneath. A possible original causeway is still in use although there is no sign of any bridge structure. The course of the moat to the W can be seen as earthwork although now there is a wall blocking it off. The faint earthworks of a possible fishpond lie to the E of the site.

This site has been described as a;
Fortified Manor House.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Cropmarks/slight earthworks remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST74012564

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 202385

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 54701

• Web site links
  • http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=54701
• Books
  • Dunning, Robert, 1995, Somerset Castles (Somerset Books) p55
    Bothamley, 1911, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Somerset Vol2 p140
• Journal Articles
  • Aston, M. et al, 1976, 'Somerset Field Monument...survey'Somerset Archaeology and Natural History Vol120 p92
    Meade, Canon, 1870, 'Castle Cary church' Somerset Archaeology and Natural History Vol16 p6