Cippenham Moat

Cippenham Moat marks the remains of a 13th-century royal palace built by King Henry III in what is now the Cippenham suburb of Slough, Berkshire. The site was once a grand residence and hunting ground, later remembered only in local place names. Richard, the first Earl of Cornwall and Henry’s brother, spent his honeymoon there and later established a deer park. By the 16th century maps no longer showed the park, suggesting the palace had fallen out of use. Farmers uncovered traces of the moat in the early Victorian period, revealing its buried foundations. Today it is recognised as a scheduled monument, protected for its historical importance. The moat’s remains offer a quiet window into medieval royal life just outside modern Slough. The site once formed part of a larger complex that included gardens and fishponds, arranged around a central island. Archaeologists have found fragments of medieval pottery and building stone, confirming the scale of the original palace. The moat itself encloses roughly two hectares, though only shallow earthworks survive above ground. Its rediscovery helped historians piece together the story of Henry III’s lesser-known residences. The area remains largely undeveloped, allowing visitors to sense the landscape as it would have appeared centuries ago. A walk around the moat follows a clear grassy path that circles the water-filled ditch. The central island, once the site of the main hall, now carries mature trees and wildflowers. Views extend across surrounding playing fields and housing estates, contrasting old and new surroundings. Information boards explain the site’s royal connections and the changes it has seen over seven hundred years. The atmosphere is calm, with only the sound of birds and distant traffic breaking the silence. It is a modest but evocative reminder of England’s medieval past.