Moated site and ancillary enclosure SW of Stafford Castle

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.

Despite some minor levelling of the monument's profile by overploughing the site remains in good condition, is unencumbered by modern development, and will retain considerable archaeological evidence of the manor house known to have existed here during the 13th and 14th centuries. In addition the existence of a moated ancillary enclosure exemplifies the diversity in form of this class of monument.

Details

The monument is a moated site situated adjacent to the A518 trunk road about 1km SW of Stafford Castle and includes a grassy island measuring c.67m x 43m surrounded by a dry moat c.15-25m wide x 1.3m deep. A low outer bank c.15m wide flanks the moat's SW arm and there are traces of earthworks resembling outer banks flanking the NW and SE arms. To the NE of the moat is a sub-rectangular grassy ancillary enclosure measuring c.88m x 65m which was partially moated. The monument at Castle Church is presumed to have been the manor house of Edmund of Stafford in the reign of Edward I (1272-1307), and of Ralph Stafford in the time of Edward III (1312-77) All fences and hedges are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath all these features 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:

13469

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
PRN NO. 798, Staffordshire SMR, Newport Road: Castle Church,
Snowdon, C., AM 107A, (1983)
Darvill, T., MPP Single Monument Class Description - Moats, (1988)

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