The site of Grangefield moated site lies on the Gwent Levels, on poorly drained ground within an area of about 90m by 90m and adjacent to farm buildings. It comprises two concentric earthworks of which the central one is the more prominent. These remains are indicative of two moats on slightly different alignments, one superimposed upon the other and each relating to different episodes in the development of the local landscape.

The inner moat surrounds on all sides an area which measures 27m (roughly NNW-SSE) by 20m the ditch itself measuring between 2m and 4m wide. The building platform so formed has a maximum height of about 0.8m above the present ditch bottom. There is some slight inner scarping at points around the edge of the platform.
The outer moat, orientated slightly differently with respect to the inner one, surrounds an area measuring 63m (roughly NNW-SSE) by about 72m. Its short axis is aligned some seven degrees E of the long axis of the inner moat. The ditch has a width of between 3m and 8m and a depth of no more than 0.8m. A southerly projection of the E side of the moat presumably fed the ditch with water. The inner and outer moats inter-connect giving the interior a fragmented appearance. The ditches are generally boggy, in places containing standing water only in rainy weather.
The outer moat is least well defined on the W where the buildings of Grangefield Farm impinge upon it: most of the moat on this side has been destroyed. A gate in the SW corner has also damaged the moat there.
The field in which the site lies is under grass, but part of it near to the farm buildings is used for dumping slurry, and a concrete ramp projects from a cow shed into the field for this purpose. There is a pile of rubble, 8m by 2m, at the SW corner of the inner moat.

DKL 10.01.1996

[1998.10.26/RCAHMW/DKL]