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 a sub-rectangular moated site situated at Nye Farm in
the area of the Somerset Levels.
The moated site comprises a slightly raised, grass-covered island, 32m from
east to west and 25m from north to south, surrounded by a partly waterfilled
moat c.10m wide. The western arm of the moat has been incorporated into a
field drain. The eastern and southern arms of the moat have been partly
refilled in modern times but survive as buried features and remain visible as
earthworks c.10m wide and 0.6m deep. The northern arm of the moat survives
largely in its original form and is waterfilled. Access to the interior would
originally have been by bridge or drawbridge.
The monument has, over the years, produced quantities of medieval pottery and
is recorded in documents as a homestead moat in 1290 and 1332. It is
one of a pair of moated sites known in the area; the neighbouring site is
situated 380m to the west.
Excluded from the scheduling are the farm shed situated on the island, the
circular cattle feedrack in the north-eastern area of the island and the
boundary fence posts which cross the north-eastern area of the monument 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:
22838
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other
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
