Exhall

Can anyone find any info on this building and its moat. It is in the Exhall area of Coventry, on the corner of School Lane and Church Lane. The 1949 o/s map we have on this site refers to it as Moat Hall, and Google maps refers to it as Exhall Hall. I have found that the moat is a Scheduled Ancient Monument in itself. The Moat House estate belonged to an Edward Wilson Esq. (if this is the same moat House/Hall) and he also owned Exhall Colliery. I cannot find any info on the building or the moat and when it was built. Any takers?

There's a link here on some of the background history for starters. It'll be interesting to learn more.

It just happens that I am working on an exhibition about Exhall which will be staged in a few weeks time. It will be based around a photographic exhibition at St. Giles Church last year. Locally Exhall Hall does tend to get called Moat House but as can be seen from the 1904 map it should be Exhall Hall. When it was listed in 1988 it was described as follows. House, currently divided into 3 dwellings. Cross-wing probably C16; left range and alterations early/mid C19. Early/mid C20 alterations. Cross-wing is pebble dashed over timber framing with close studding and lath and plaster infill, largely refaced with brick. Left range of Flemish bond brick with brick string course and dentil cornice, and regular coursed sandstone plinth. Old plain-tile roofs; C19 brick ridge stacks. T-plan with cross-wing on right. 2 storeys and attic; 5-window range. Cross-wing has late C20 door in left corner. 3-light windows. C20 wood mullioned and transomed windows throughout have upper lights with glazing bars. First floor has massive corner posts with half-octagonal shafts. Jettied gable has moulded bressumer and brackets. Entrance in angle has half-glazed door and sidelights with glazing bars in basket arch with fanlight. Early C19 Grecian style cast iron openwork porch, moved from elsewhere in the building, has plain-tile hood. 2- and 3-light windows have cambered brick arches. 2 hipped roof dormers have 2-light casements with glazing bars. Right return side is a 3-window range, with 3-light bay windows to ground floor and 3-light windows above. First floor has massive exposed studs between bays. Rear is mostly C19. Interior: cross wing has remains of stone fireplace. Room has early/mid C19 vineleaf cornice. Fragments of linenfold panelling. First floor has 2 painted stone moulded Tudor arch fireplaces back-to-back. Some exposed studding. Attic has some exposed studding. Trenched purlin roof has large wind braces. Strangely there is no mention in the listing of the moat Those who know the area will note that School Lane was called Exhall Hall Lane.

Not sure if it's this Foxcote, or may be the little buildings that are to the left of these that have a different entrance.

Thanks for that Morgana and Heritage, it's going to be an interesting topic

I should have mentioned that the actual Moat house is very close to the M6 and the large traffic island just past the Iron bridge on the Coventry-Bedworth road. It stands between the A444 and the motorway at the end of Moat House Drive. Having two moated properties so close together causes a lot of confusion. Another old map showing both properties - no traffic islands or motorways.

I had to search for this in my archive. From a postcard, date unknown.

You're welcome Foxcote

Thanks all for the response on this. I went around there today, but no one was in so I didn't take any photos. The moat has 2 bridges crossing it and does not seem to connect with the stream that runs nearby, but it may around the other side of the garden. I did not look around as no one was there, but may try again another day, and see if the owner knows of any history on the place. Thanks again for the info so far.

One of my reference documents is EXHALL THROUGH THE AGES, AN EPITOME OF ENGLAND'S RURAL HISTORY (By Annie Armson B.A. Hons. Oxon) and was written in the early 1930s. This extract refers to Exhall Hall. I have never confirmed the accuracy of this part of her work (too early for my taste) so I am taking her work at face value on this. I was looking at her work whilst researching Newlands Hall which to me is of more interest. Local stories often refer to a tunnel from the hall to St. Giles Church. "Christianity would come to Exhall in this wise St. Chad, the Bishop of Mercia, had fixed his see at Lichfield whence he could send out missionaries to preach the Gospel to the surrounding peasants, who were still heathen. One day about the year 572, Chad's teacher or perhaps Chad himself, in the course of their wanderings would come across the tiny village clustering round "Aecca's Hall." Here they stayed for a time and preached the Gospel as Aecca the cripple and his dependents. At last, Aecca and his friends received the new faith, and to signify their conversion were baptised in the brook close by. As a result of their newly awakened enthusiasm a wooden church was erected giving place in time, and by slow degrees, to the present one in stone. Exhall Hall probably occupies the site of Aecca's dwelling, although one tradition states that the latter stood nearer the Church, and that the present Hall was originally the granary, moated to preserve the corn in wilder and more lawless times."

Fantastic bit of information there Heritage. Just on the off chance, have you ever heard of a "May Mitten"? It was a lady (I think) that owned land between the water tower and the old railway line. Had a lot of old single decker buses and lorries rusting away in a field near to the water tower back in the 50's, early 60's. When she died, her family sold the land that is now Ambleside / Gibson Cres. area. Might be worth starting a new Non Coventry Topic. Back to this topic. The pic Heritage has put up shows the rear of the house, There was an old boat to the right of the bridge in the moat when I went there and the new buildings of Tudor Court are to the left of the bridge. Barn conversion and house to the right are also Tudor Court.

Hello Baz, May Mitten had a shop in King Street close to the entrance to Spitledickie (Spitlefields or Hospital Fields). Considered an eccentric she dressed in men's clothes and lived at one time in an old Midland Red bus. I think I may have a photo somewhere, not promising.

I remember May Mitten very well. At the time I knew her, in the 40s, she lived in Aldermans Green Rd near the Bird in Hand pub. Les

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me. I too am looking for some info, strangely enough exactly on the opposite side of the Moat House. It is an old people's home called Chasewood Lodge, and it's an old manor house going back to 1800 and beyond, and is at the end of McDonnell Drive. I used to work there a while ago and it too has a kind of moat that goes three quarters around it. Before it had an extension built on it there was a archaelogical dig there and the people who did the dig said royalty have stayed there. I've looked on the internet and can't find anything about it, it's as though it didn't exist!

Hello brocock1. I too have been there and seen what is left of the moat near the end of the drive. There is a coat of arms I think over the doorway to the old part of the building and when I get a chance, I will get a photo of it. I did hear somewhere that it was owned by a wealthy local business man and his family, but my memory fades away at that. If you were to look on the 1949 O.S map of Coventry (on this site down the left under street maps, old map scans), it is listed as Moat House, and this topic building listed as Moat Hall. Hope this little info helps.