North Garth moated site and associated enclosures

Overview

Location

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.

This moated site survives reasonably well. Structural and artefactual remains will be preserved on the main island, while organic remains will survive within the silted moats. The attached enclosures are also well-preserved and will contribute to an understanding of the history of use of the main moated site.

Details

The monument is North Garth moated site. It includes a series of dry ditches enclosing a main moated site and a group of associated enclosures. The main moated site is situated at the northern end of the monument. The island defined by the moat is 40m long north-south and 20m east-west. It is enclosed by a moat 6m wide and 1m-1.5m deep. The northern arm of the moat and northern end of the island have been truncated by the modern road which now bounds the site to the north. The enclosures are situated to the south and east of the main moat. The surrounding ditches are 5m wide and 1m deep and define six enclosures. The ditches and moat appear to have served as much to drain this low-lying site as to defend and define it. An external earthen bank defines the western edge of the monument. It is 5m wide, 0.5m high and 150m long and is orientated north to south.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

21186

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
1627, Humberside SMR,

Legal

This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.