Tinker's Lane 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.

The monument is a well preserved example of a medieval moated site. The island remains unexcavated and unencumbered by modern development. It will therefore retain considerable evidence of its original form and the activities which occurred on the enclosed island.

Details

The monument is Tinker's Lane medieval moated site. It includes a rectangular island measuring 62m by 55m that is surrounded by a stream-fed, waterlogged moat 10-12m wide and 2m deep. The moat's northern arm extends outwards for 10m at the north-western and north-eastern corners and the moat widens to c.20m at the south-eastern corner. An outer bank 4m wide by 0.3m high flanks the moat's western arm and the western end of the northern arm. An outer bank 7m wide by 0.3m high flanks the southern arm. A feeder stream enters the moat's south-western corner and exits from the south-eastern corner. All field boundaries are excluded from the scheduling but the ground beneath them 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:

13509

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Darvill, T., MPP Single Monument Class Descriptions - Moats, (1988)
SMR No 173, Staffs SMR, Moat Spring: Marchington,

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