Moated site 135m north of St Andrew's Church

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 moated site of Kettleburgh Hall survives well and in good condition and is unencumbered by modern building. It will retain important archaeological information concerning its construction and function when in use. Its situation above the village and close to the church is of interest for the study of local settlement and land-holding in the medieval period.

Details

The monument includes a moated site located to the north of the village of Kettleburgh on a south-facing slope above the River Deben. The moated site has overall dimensions of approximately 97m north-south by 92m east-west. The rectangular island measures 69m east-west by 76m north-south by 69m east- west and is surrounded by a moat between 7m and 14m wide and approximately 4m deep, with steeply sloping sides and some evidence of chalk lining in the lower part. The moat is water-filled by surface drainage and access to the interior is provided by an earthen causeway approximately 4m wide across the southern arm. The island has been identified as the site of Old Kettleburgh Hall. In the later 13th century Kettleburgh Manor, with the advowson, was granted to Sir William Charles by Prince Edward, later Edward I, and it was held by the Charles family until the mid-15th century. Excluded from the scheduling are the concrete surface of the causeway, a fence and gate enclosing the island, a modern plank footbridge across the northern arm of the moat, a water tank on a concrete standing and a transport container used for housing pigs (both sited at the southern end of the island), and a service pole with support cables, but the ground beneath all these features 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:

21311

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Copinger, W A, History of the Manors of Suffolk, (1909), 298-305
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Suffolk, (1974), 318
Farrer, E, East Anglian Miscellany in Kettleburgh Hall, Vol. 9, (1915), 81

Other
Coad, V, AM7, (1976)

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.