Norbury Manor moated site, 8 fishponds and connecting channels

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 site of the fortified Norbury Manor House survives in good condition. The island remains unexcavated and unencumbered by modern development, consequently substantial remains of structural foundations will survive. The island still retains its fine sandstone ashlar revetting wall, while the moat's original timber outlet sluice remains well preserved. In addition the site is complemented by an unusually extensive, well preserved and complex system of fishponds and connecting channels interlinked with each other and/or the moat.

Details

The monument at Norbury Manor is a moated site to the N and W of which lies an extensive system of fishponds and connecting channels. The site includes a raised grass covered island measuring c.60m x 40m revetted all round by a fine sandstone ashlar wall 2.4m high and surrounded by a wet moat c.14m max. width x 4m deep. Access to the island is by a causeway on the E side. An original and well preserved timber sluice exists within the outlet channel flowing beneath the track close to the moat's SE corner. Adjacent to the moat's N arm are two dry fishponds, the larger originally fed by a channel connecting with a stream to the N and possessing a short outlet channel entering into the moat at its NE corner. The moat is further fed by two streams entering its W arm. The southerly of these brought water from a series of five fishponds some 150m to the W of the moat by a complex of connecting channels, while the northerly stream collected water from a pond flanked by a substantial bank c.80m NW of the moat. Ralph le Botiller succeeded to the fortified manor house of Norbury on the death of Philip Marmion in 1291. It was later sold to the Skrymshers during the reign of Henry VIII (1509-47) and eventually demolished early in the 19th century. The monument is divided into three separate constraint areas. The track and a concrete pipe above the timber outlet sluice, a corrugated shed on the island, and all fencing and a gate are excluded from the scheduling. The ground beneath all these features, however, 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:

13471

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Dennison, E, MPP Single Monument Class Descriptions - Fishponds, (1987)
Snowdon, C.A., AM 107, (1988)
Dennison, E., MPP Single Monument Class Descriptions - Fishponds, (1988)
Mr. R.J. Lewis (Norbury Manor Estate Manager), To Robinson, K.D. MPPFW, (1990)
Darvill, T., MPP Single Monument Class Description - Moats, (1988)
PRN 188, Staffordshire SMR, Norbury Manor, Norbury,

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

Print the official list entry