Moated site, 15m south of Moat Farm

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 to the south of Moat Farm survives well and is unencumbered by modern development. The waterlogged moat arms will retain valuable information for the environment and economy of the site's inhabitants and the moated island will retain buried archaeological deposits associated with the house that originally occupied the site.

Details

The monument is situated 15m to the south of Moat Farm, in the parish of Walsall and includes the earthwork remains of a moated site. The moated site has been constructed on a south-facing slope and its external dimensions are 96m north-south and 76m east-west. The four moat arms measure up to 18m wide and are seasonally waterlogged, although the south east corner of the moat remains waterfilled. The moat averages a depth of 1m beneath the surrounding ground surface. There is a retaining bank along the western side of the moated site which is 10m wide and approximately 0.5m high. This retaining bank is thought to have been slightly modified during the 19th century when the site was used as a source of clay. Access onto the moated island is by a brick bridge across the eastern arm of the moat and it is thought to mark the site of the original entrance across the moat. The bridge is 19th century in date and is not included in the scheduling. The moated island, itself, has an irregular square plan and measures 52m north-south and 40m east-west. During the early 14th century the site, known as the Moat House at Heyhead, was in the possession of Robert Stapleton. Nineteenth century sources indicate that at this date, the moated site was occupied by a house, the southern end of which was half timbered, while the rest was 19th century in date. This house was demolished in the 1870s. All fence posts, the two sheds and the caravans within the moated island, and the brick bridge and its gate piers are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath 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:

21565

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Newspaper Cuttings- Walsall Local History Library, (1870)

End of official list entry

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