Moated site at North Luffenham

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 moated site at North Luffenham is believed to belong to a later period than most moats in Leicestershire. The occurrence of a fishpond within the island is slightly unusual and suggests that the moat may have had significance as a landscape garden feature.

Details

The moated site at North Luffenham is rectangular in shape, and contains a fishpond within the island. It is situated on low lying ground on the west bank of Lyndon Brook, a tributary of the River Chater. The site measures approximately 55 x 105m in overall dimensions and has a ditch about 1m deep and between 8-10m wide. The western arm is waterlogged. There is a prominent external bank on all sides. The island has an uneven surface at its northern end considered to mark the remains of internal buildings. The fishpond at the southern end of the island is oval in shape, measuring 10m x 20m and 1m deep. The North Luffenham moat is associated with Luffenham Hall and, as such, is thought to be a late medieval construction.

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:

17006

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Hartley, R F, The Medieval Earthworks of Rutland, (1983)

End of official list entry

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