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 includes a Medieval moated enclosure and associated remains
of Thundridgebury House and St. Mary and All Saints' Church and
graveyard. The moated enclosure is "D" shaped with external dimensions
of approximately 195m north-south by 200m east-west. The surrounding dry
moat varies in width between 7m and 20m, but part of the southern arm
and the south-east corner is obscured. Three causewayed breaks in the
northern arm of the moat are thought to be modern. The interior of the
enclosure contains the ruined remains of Thundridgebury House, believed
to date from the 16th century. A series of brick foundations indicate
the location of the house and outbuildings which were demolished in
1811. Immediately to the south of the house are the remains of St. Mary
and All Saints' Church. The upstanding remains of the 15th century
church tower, a grade II* listed building, are excluded from the
scheduling, but the ground beneath is included, as are the remains of
the adjacent church. The church itself measures some 25m by 12m and is
marked out by a series of 0.20m high foundations and wall lines. The
church was demolished in 1853. It is surrounded by a disused graveyard
defined by an iron fence to the west and brick wall on the other three
sides. The graveyard, (now "closed") measures some 60m north-south by
40m east-west and contains numerous gravepits, many marked with stone
headstones. Some of the graves are thought likely to date to the
Medieval period, with further Medieval deposits preserved in the
intervening areas. To the west of the church an irregular series of low
earthworks are thought to be the remains of cultivation plots located
within the moated enclosure.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
11560
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
