Moated site and bloomery in Courtbanks Covert

Summary

Medieval moated site and bloomery 360m south-west of Court Bank Farm.

Reasons for Designation

Around 6,000 moated sites are known in England. They consist of wide ditches, often or seasonally water-filled, partly or completely enclosing one or more islands of dry ground on which stood domestic or religious buildings. In some cases the islands were used for horticulture. The majority of moated sites served as prestigious aristocratic and seigneurial residences with the provision of a moat intended as a status symbol rather than a practical military defence. The peak period during which moated sites were built was between about 1250 and 1350 and by far the greatest concentration lies in central and eastern parts of England. However, moated sites were built throughout the medieval period, are widely scattered throughout England and exhibit a high level of diversity in their forms and sizes. They form a significant class of medieval monument and are important for the understanding of the distribution of wealth and status in the countryside. Many examples provide conditions favourable to the survival of organic remains.

The medieval moated site and bloomery 360m south west of Court Bank Farm survive as earthworks and buried archaeological deposits. Despite some disturbance through tree and scrub growth the moated site has experienced little modern development and therefore will contain archaeological and environmental deposits which will provide important information about the nature and use of the monument as well as medieval society, its economy and landscape in which it has been constructed. Despite some disturbance the bloomery survives as archaeological deposits relating to the process of iron smelting and will provide information on the nature and use of the medieval bloomery as well as medieval society, its economy and landscape in which it has been constructed.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 9 June 2015. This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes the earthworks and buried remains of a medieval moated site and a nearby bloomery situated within the valley of Redmoor Brook. A rectangular moated site measuring externally up to 140m north west to south east by 100m south west to north east encloses an internal area of approximately 0.5 hectares. The Redmoor Brook has been re-cut to run through the south west and south east arms of the moat. It is possibly the site of a royal hunting lodge built by Henry II in 1157-1158. To the north east at SK 0414 1179 lie the buried remains of a medieval bloomery or iron furnace, evident by buried mounds of iron slag, cinder and black earth. Situated close by is a rock-cut well known as Nun’s Well which may be medieval in date. The possible site of a C12 hermit priory which adopted Cistercian rule in 1141 and then moved to Stoneleigh by 1159, is thought to lie in the vicinity.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

ST 241

Legacy System:

RSM - OCN

Sources

Other
NMR: SK01SW7, Pastscape: 304788, NMR: SK01SW21, Pastscape: 1475575

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