Moated site and annexe east of Setterahpark Wood

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.

Despite some erosion the moated site and annexe east of Setterahpark Wood survives reasonably well. The monument remains unencumbered by modern development and will retain evidence for the buildings that originally occupied the island. The monument is a rare example in Cumbria of a moated site associated with a medieval deer park.

Details

The monument is a moated site and an associated annexe situated in the valley of the River Lowther east of Setterahpark Wood. It includes a raised island of rhomboidal shape, measuring c.84m by 60m, with traces of an inner bank up to 3m wide and 0.5m high on its western side. Surrounding the island is a dry moat 9-13m wide that is flanked on all sides except the north by an outer bank up to 8m wide and 1m high. Access to the island is provided by a rough stone causeway across the moat's southern arm close to the south-west corner. A narrow dry ditch 1m wide and 0.7m deep separates the outer bank from a raised annexe up to c.45m in width located adjacent to the moat's eastern side. A narrow ditch and low outer bank 2.5m in total width flank the annexe's southern side. At the moat's north-east corner is a seasonally wet well. The monument is thought to be associated with a deerpark recorded in documentary sources of 1290 as being at Robert L'Engley's Setterah Park. All gateposts and modern field boundaries are excluded from the scheduling, but the ground beneath them is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

22509

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Darvill, T., MPP Single Monument Class Descriptions - Moats, (1988)
RCHME, Westmorland, (1936)
SMR No. 2880, Cumbria SMR, Earthwork East of Setterah Park Wood, (1985)

End of official list entry

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