Chris Backhouse Posted 1 December , 2005 Share Posted 1 December , 2005 On a recent visit to the Salient looking over the 11th Royal Sussex attack ground - from Edmond Blundens book - I noticed a very large hole near Crossroads Farm (near the junction of Buffs Road and Admirals Road). It is now partly filled with water, trees overhanging etc. Does anyone know what had caused it? It seems old enough to be from the Great War and I can't see why anyone would dig a hole like that for civilian reasons. If anyone is planning to look over the area, watch out for two farm dogs that roam free. A black and white sheep dog and a "Hound of the Baskervilles" brute. They wouldn't let my wife and myself out of the car and they slavered all over my paintwork! Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Brown Posted 2 December , 2005 Share Posted 2 December , 2005 What you might have seen, if it was between the farm and the brick tower is the remaining portion of the medieval moat shown on the trench map. Many farms in this theatre were moated including this one, Moated Grange (obviously), Mouse Trap Farm near Cross Roads and others. Moats are primarliy a phenomenon of the period 1200-1400 and can be dug as boundaries, drains, fishponds and symbols of status but not especially for defence, beyond detering less determined thieves. In UK they cluster in lower-lying areas such as East Anglia, the Hull valley etc, where digging is easy and the water stays in the moat! Just goes to show that the war has just added another interesting layer to the historic landscape in this area! Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurel Sercu Posted 2 December , 2005 Share Posted 2 December , 2005 Chris, I suppose you can find that hole indeed on this extract (of a German map April 1918, but it can also be seen on other trench maps). Sorry for the poor quality. Adjacent to (and northside of) the road, a little left of the H of Hof Deband (= Crossroads Farm). As you see : early 20th Century most of the moat was still gone (I wonder if it was still there on the Popp map, ca. 1850 cadastral maps, but I don't have that here with me). On this extract only 3 (I think) fragments are still left, including the hole you refer to. On the other hand I understand your question very well. Most drinking holes and pools for cattle near farms and in meadows are what is left of these medieval moats. But I'm sure that some of them are "recent" (Great War), and nothing but post war enlarged shell holes. Comparing pre-war and post-war maps of the area (Ypres) would be relevant. One day, when I feel bored ... Aurel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Backhouse Posted 4 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 4 December , 2005 Thanks for the information chaps. Now that I have looked hard at my 1:10,000 trench map, I can see 3 elipitcal marks to the east and south of the farm. Presumably the remains of the moat. Makes you think! There is a very interesting oblique aerial photo of this area in the book Passchendaele by Martin Marix Evans for anyone who wants to see how things looked in 1917. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towisuk Posted 28 April , 2006 Share Posted 28 April , 2006 I have read about some trenches that were excavated at Crossroads farm, but I can't seem to pinpoint it's location. I beleive it is in the Ypres area, can anyone help please with a map location Thanks and regards, Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregs_yorkley Posted 28 April , 2006 Share Posted 28 April , 2006 HI Tom, A link from the web: http://www.archaeology.org/0405/abstracts/flanders.html Cheers Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 28 April , 2006 Share Posted 28 April , 2006 Northwest of Wieltje... Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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