Shenstone Park moated site

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.

Despite the island's overgrown appearance, the monument survives well and the earthworks are well preserved. The use of the house on the island as a hunting lodge within a royal park exemplifies the diversity in function of this class of monument.

Details

The monument includes a moated site located on a slightly elevated position at Shenstone Park. It contains a rectangular island measuring c.76m by 46m that is surrounded by a waterlogged moat up to 15m wide and 2-4m deep. An outer bank 8m wide and 0.3m high flanks the south-eastern arm of the moat. The monument was originally the site of a hunting lodge erected by the Doyley family soon after the Norman Conquest. Shenstone Park is first mentioned in documentary sources in 1236. Henry VIII had a royal park here (1509-47) and it was still maintained as such in 1642 during the reign of Charles I. The house on the island was abandoned later in the 17th century. A modern footbridge giving access to the island, and a pump house, pipe and inspection chamber at the eastern corner of the moat, 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:

22437

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Darvill, T., MPP Single Monument Class Descriptions - Moats, (1988)
To Robinson, K D MPPFW, Mr Bartlett (site owner), (1991)
SMR No 1104, Staffs SMR, Shenstone Park: Shenstone,

End of official list entry

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