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.
Details
The monument is the moated site at Manor Farm, East Halton. It includes a
large moated site which is sub-divided by a series of internal ditches. It is
thought that the site was originally more extensive and extended into the area
now occupied by Manor Farm and the adjacent property; the extent of
archaeological survival in these areas, if any, is not known and hence they
are not included in the scheduling.
The main enclosing moat is 10m wide and 3m deep. For almost the entire
circuit of the moat an internal bank survives; this is between 1m and 1.5m
high and 5m and 7m wide, an external bank also survives at the western
boundary of the site, it is 1m high and 5m wide. The large roughly L-shaped
island thus enclosed measures a maximum of 200m north-south by 180m east-west.
It is sub-divided by a network of drainage ditches, now dry, which range
between 5m and 10m wide and 1.5m deep. At the western end of this complex of
drains a small internal moat is created where one of the ditches bifurcates.
The island thus created is orientated north-south and measures 20m long by 7m
wide.
Slight earthworks visible across the remainder of the main moated island
indicate the positions of the buildings which would originally have stood
here.
A ditch extends eastwards from the eastern arm of the main moat. It is not
included in the scheduling as its date and association with the moat are not
yet fully understood.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
21187
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals Other
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 Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
