Moated site at Ribden

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 well preserved medieval moated site. The site is unexcavated and remains unencumbered by modern development. Evidence of the building that originally occupied the island will exist and organic material will be preserved within the waterlogged outer moat.

Details

The monument is Ribden medieval moated site. The site includes a raised island that projects out of the hillside and measures c.35m by 20m. The island possesses a platform at its southern end that is elevated up to 1m. The island is surrounded by a dry moat 6-l0m wide and up to 2.5m deep. An outer bank 6m wide and 1.3m high flanks the moat's southern arm. An outlet channel issues from the moat's southern arm to run into a cutting 16m wide by 4m deep that is considered to have been an outer moat. On the northern side of this cutting, at its mid-point, is a well or spring from which water issues to flow in an easterly direction and maintain the eastern end of the cutting in a boggy condition. All walls and fences are excluded from the scheduling but the ground beneath all these features 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:

13511

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Snowdon, C A, AM 107 (Ribden), (1983)
Darvill, T., MPP Single Monument Class Description - Moats, (1988)
SMR No. 167, Staffs SMR, Ribden: Farley,

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