Moated site and two fishponds south of Manor House Farm

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 monument is a good example of a medieval moated site with adjacent fishponds. It survives well and remains unencumbered by modern development. The waterlogged moat will preserve organic material.

Details

The monument is a moated site with two adjacent fishponds lying in pasture some 110m south of Manor House Farm. The grassy island is raised a maximum of 1.5m above the surrounding field and measures c.25m x 33m. There is a sloping berm up to 9m wide between the island and moat on all sides except the north. The moat, waterlogged on the west side only, averages c.12m wide x 0.7m deep and possesses a projection c.11m long x 6m wide on the north arm. The moat is flanked on its east side by two dry fishponds - the northerly one measuring c.19m x 35m x 0.8m deep, the southerly one c.17m x 37m x 0.8m deep with a dry outlet channel at its southeast corner. A grassy outer bank c.10-12m wide x 0.3m high flanks the south side of the southerly pond and the east side of both ponds. All field boundaries are excluded from the scheduling but the ground beneath them 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:

13486

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
SMR No. 67, Lancs. SMR, Moat and probable fishponds,
Coney, A. (West Lancs. Arch Soc), To Lancs SMR, (1987)
Mr. Martindale (Site owner), To Robinson, K.D. MPPFW, (1991)
Dennison, E., MPP Single Monument Class Descriptions - Fishponds, (1988)
Darvill, T., MPP Single Monument Class Description - Moats, (1988)

End of official list entry

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