Moated site west of Avenue Wood, Felbridge

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 west of Avenue Wood survives well and, due to the waterlogging of some of the moat, has potential for the recovery of organic remains and environmental evidence relating to the economy of the site and the landscape in which it existed.

Details

The monument includes a moated site which survives as two contiguously ditched, rectangular islands orientated WSW-ENE, overall dimensions being 90m by 47m. The largest island, on the western side of the monument, has maximum dimensions of 35m by 30m, the ditch around it being between c.12m and 15m wide and water-filled. The second island measures c.20m by 15m, the north arm and part of the east arm being dry. The ditch between the two islands, and around the small island, is between c.10m and 12m wide. The moat was originally fed by Felbridge Water which now runs to the north of the monument and would have filled the moat from the north corner with an outlet in the east. The slight extension of the moat at this point is due to erosion and re-cutting. No indications of buildings survive above ground in the interior of either of the islands, although a number of medieval/postmedieval tile fragments were recovered from the mouth of a badger set on the smaller of the two islands. These suggest that it may have been the smaller of the two islands which was inhabited with the larger used for horticultural purposes. The course of a Roman Road also crosses the most easterly corner of the moat. This road ran from London through Croydon to Portslade and is one of eight main roads built by the Romans leading into London. All fencing surrounding the monument is excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath it 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:

20006

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Austin, L, Medieval/ post-medieval tile fragments, (1991)
Margary, I D, Sussex Archaeological Collections in The London Croydon Portslade Roman Road, Vol. 77, (1936)

Other
Darvill, T, Monument Class Description - Moats (1988), 1988,

End of official list entry

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