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 a medieval moated grange. It includes a sub-rectangular
island surrounded by a waterlogged moat and bisected by a waterlogged channel.
The northern section of the island is 60m long north-south and 30m wide
east-west. Its southern section is 20m long north-south and 30m wide
east-west; a channel 9m wide and 1.5m deep runs east-west between them. The
moat which defines the island is between 6m and 9m wide and is up to 1.5m
deep. The northern arm has been affected by later disturbance; a 50m section
toward its eastern end has been in-filled and the western end has been
enlarged to form a duckpond. Drains run from the north-western and
south-eastern corners of the moat. While these may be medieval in origin
post-medieval drainage works have so altered them as to make any secure dating
difficult. Aerial photographs show remains to the north and south of the
monument which are thought to be enclosures and drainage works associated with
the moated site although they do not survive well enough to be positively
identified and are not included in the scheduling.
An earthen bank survives immediately outside the southern arm of the moat.
It is 100m long, 0.3m high and 5m wide.
The monument is known to have been a grange of Meaux Abbey before 1172.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
23803
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
