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 includes two moated sites at Healing Hall. The larger moat is
defined by a silted (and now dry) ditch; the smaller moated site, the ditches
of which remain waterlogged, is situated in the south-western corner of the
larger one.
The larger moated site has a roughly square island surrounded by a ditch with,
on the north and west sides, an external bank. An internal bank is also
present on the north side. The north-eastern corner of the site has been built
over and part of the island has been landscaped to form a garden. Overall the
site was originally just over 200m square. The northern arm of the moat is now
5m wide and 1m deep, the southern arm 20m wide and 3m deep, and the western
arm 10m wide and 1.5m deep. The eastern arm of the moat has been largely
infilled but remains visible to the south of the modern buildings and is 15m
wide and 3m deep. The external bank on the north and west sides is 1m high and
between 5m and 7m wide. The internal bank on the north side is 1m high and 8m
wide.
The smaller moated site is situated in the south-western corner of the larger
site and the southern and western moat arms appear to have been formed by the
recutting of the larger site's ditches. The raised island enclosed by the moat
is 40m square and has been landscaped as part of the later garden.
A concrete air-raid shelter was built into the southern arm of the large moat
during the Second World War. It remains in situ.
This manorial site is closely associated with Healing's medieval parish
church which lies adjacent to it to the east.
The modern bridges across the wet moat and the temporary garden structures,
such as the wooden summer-house, are excluded from the scheduling but the
ground beneath all these features is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
21189
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
