Moated site at Wake's End

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.

Although the moat at Wake's End has been partially infilled, the site is well documented historically and retains considerable potential for the survival of building remains in the interior.

Details

To the north-east of Wake's Farm are the remains of a rectangular moated site. The moat forms a flat rectangular terrace, roughly 30m x 60m in area, which cuts back into the hillside so that the outer edges of the northern and eastern arms are higher than the top of the island. The ditch, which is visible as a slight depression, is about 5m wide on three arms and almost 10m wide on its south-eastern arm. Partial infilling of the moat took place within the last few years and there are recent observations which record that the moat was originally 2-3m deep and contained standing water. The central island measures about 40m by 20m. There are three mounds, about 4m across and 0.5m high, located at the edge of the island on the southern, eastern and northern arms. These mounds are considered to be the remains of buildings on the island and fragments of worked stone were found on the island when it was first ploughed. Previous observations also record that the moat was associated with a large, oval fishpond, 30m by 15m in size, which lay 40m or so to the south-east and was attached by a leat to the southern corner of the moat. The history of the moat is linked to that of Wakes Manor, which is known to have belonged to Ralf de Wake in the 13th century. Buildings are shown on the moat island in a parish map of 1765.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

20408

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Knox, R, Moated Sites Survey, (1981)

Other
Allden, A., SMR 41 ref. 6, (1979)
CRO MA 74/1, (1808)
CRO R 1/248, (1765)
P.A.S., Ordnance Survey Record, (1973)

End of official list entry

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