Monument record MWX503 - Moon Fleet Hotel, Fleet

The manor belonged to the crown at the time of Domesday but by the end of the 12th c. was the property of Christ Church Priory, Hants. After the Dissolution the manor was leased, and by Q Elizabeth. It was held by the Mohun family in 1654, 1653, the farm of Maximilian Mohun was sequestered. The house was probably built by the same Maximilian Mohun. By 1774 the property had developed upon another family. <1>

The house has been considerably altered but seems to incorporate a 17th c. building, represented by the S. wing and parts of the E. and W. wings. The cellar wall at the W. end of the building has two 17th c. windows, and a similar window is in the S. wall. Inside a S.E. room is a 17th c. fireplace. The house was remodelled in the 18th c., and again in 1880, with restoration in 1896. <4>

The building is now the Moon Fleet Hotel. The interior was considerably altered in 1880, but an early print in the hotel shows the exterior at the end of the 18th c. (a). The print mentioned above shows the house and outbuildings, perhaps c.1770, viewed from the East. It shows the main square block substantially as it is today except that the entrance was then on the East side; this entrance has since been converted into a window. At the South West corner of projection indicates the end of a building with mullioned windows. Modern windows have now been inserted and the walls stuccoed; but parts of the same buildings evidently exist in the cellar mentioned in Authority 2. Immediately south of this building is a contiguous block or the south wing; in the print this was stables, and today it is a storehouse. It is built of stone. The house is in a good state of repair, but appears to contain little of 17th date or of architectural interest. The present Manor house appears to be completely modern. <5>

Fleet House. Stuccoed and slated. 2s. and attics. Pediment dormers. Sashes with moulded architrave's and keystones. Two-storied bow on S. Stone moulded fireplace of C.17. Mainly C.19 and later, but core earlier. II Coach House Wing of Fleet House 1s. E. side has two hipped wings and in centre arched recess with dummy door having square head and moulded stone architrave. ? Early C.19. Group value. II Stabling of Fleet House Brick with central bay having stone pediment supported on carved brackets with a cupola above. Centrally there is semi-circular arch with plain stone imposts and beneath arch a doorway with flat brick arched head. Flanking central bay are 2 elliptical arched doorways on each side. Probably early C.19. Group value. <3>

41/6 II Gatepiers and gate at Fleet Lodge Early C18 Pair of rusticated stone gatepiers with cornice tops and ball finials. One early C19 cast iron gatepier survives. Open-work pier, ramped top supporting the crest of the Gould family of Fleet House. Pedestrian gate and carriage gate to match. One gate pier has lost its ball finial This entrance was originally to Fleet House. Fleet Road 41/6 II Gatepiers and attached walls and piers to west of Fleetwood fielded panelled sides, cornice top, and blocking course supporting a lion couchant. The other gate-pier has gone but the lion now rests on the wall top adjacent. There is a slightly lower gate-pier of similar design to the extreme right. This entrance was originally to Fleet House. <6>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1863, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 2, 741-2 (Monograph). SWX1269.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

Fleet House (NAT)

<3> DOE (HRR), 1951, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Dorchester Rural District 1951, p28 (Scheduling record). SWX2329.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 109-110 (Monograph). SDO97.

<5> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 19-APR-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5.1> Sensicle E O, Oral: Mr E O Sensicle Proptr Moon Fleet Hotel Fleet (Verbal communication). SWX8340.

<6> DOE (HRR), 1973, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Dorchester Rural District amendment 1973 (Scheduling record). SWX2330.

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OS55/F113/6 (Index). SDO14738.

MOON FLEET HOTEL AT FLEET, HOUSE FROM EAST

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452773 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 2 2023 11:31AM