Manor House moated site

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.

Manor House moated site, Todwick has not been excavated and extensive in situ deposits, including the foundations of successive manorial complexes, are likely to survive undisturbed, making the site of considerable archaeological potential.

Details

Manor House moated site, Todwick, consists of an island, measuring c.100m along the east, west and south sides and c.50m along the north. Surrounding the island is a largely water-filled moat, filled in and partially built over to the west and south-west. This widens from c.15m to c.20m in the north-east corner where it is thought to have included an integral fishpond. In recent years a revetted causeway was discovered across the south arm of the moat but, whilst the causeway is likely to be an original feature, the revetment appears relatively modern. Two wells are associated with the site, one on the island, south-east of the present house, and one in the field east of the monument. Underneath the present house and its garden are the foundations of an old manor house demolished in 1947. These remains in turn overlie those of the medieval manorial complex. Excluded from the scheduling are all modern buildings, structures and features, the modern causeway being built across the east arm of the moat to the field beyond, and the surfaces of all paths and driveways. All the ground beneath these exclusions is, however, 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:

13231

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Le Patourel, H E J, The Moated Sites of Yorkshire, (1973)

End of official list entry

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