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 at Foxtwist comprises a small homestead moated site, additionally
enclosed on three sides by an outer moat, and also adjacent fishponds and
connecting channels. The monument includes a raised grass covered island
c.31m x 18m possessing faint traces of the foundations of a cottage and the
remains of a small orchard. Surrounding the island is an inner moat c.6m wide
x 2m deep, waterlogged on the W side where it has formed a pond. Access to
the island is from the SW via a well made causeway 3m wide with flanking
ditches.
A dry outer moat extends around the NW, N and E sides and was fed by a
waterlogged pond on higher ground some 90m to the E linked by a channel now
much reduced by ploughing. A dry channel, now utilised as a modern field
boundary, runs NE-SW adjacent to the E side of the inner moat. Close to the
SE corner of the inner moat this channel broadens and deepens and continues S
for some 85m before turning W to link with a dry rectangular fishpond c.47m x
12m x 1m deep.
William de Foxwist lived in the manor house at the site in the early 13th
century. This was dismantled in 1357 and re-erected in Macclesfield where it
served as the Market Hall. A new structure was erected on the moated site and
this passed by marriage to the Duncalf family, eventually being sold to the
Leghs of Adlington in 1609 who have owned the site ever since. By the end of
the 17th century a small cottage had been built on the site. This building
was demolished c.1920.
All field boundaries and telegraph poles are excluded from the scheduling.
The ground beneath these features, however, is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
13448
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
