Marlbrook Hall Farm, Harvest Hill Lane, Meriden, Warwickshire Archaeological Watching Brief Report

In June 2002 Oxford Archaeology (OA) carried out an archaeological watching brief at Marlbrook Hall Farm, Harvest Hill Lane, Meriden, Warwickshire (NGR SP 26471 84140). The work was commissioned by Cassidy Developments in advance of construction of a new extension on the south side of the hall with associated services. The site is located within a medieval moated site that comprises a water filled moat, a 16th-18th century post-medieval standing building and earthworks thought to be associated with earlier structures on the site. Marlbrook Hall Farm (SMR No. 240-S1424) is an early post-medieval manor house consisting of an out building of the original medieval hall complex that has now mostly gone.

The watching brief followed an evaluation of the site by OA in May 2002. The current phase of work has revealed the full extent of a wall foundation exposed in the previous evaluation immediately south of Marlbrook Hall Farm. It is now understood that the wall formed part of a demolished room on the south side of the building and which fronted onto the east arm of the moat. Probable garden terraces on the site and other earthwork features relating to the arrangement of the medieval moat were observed.