Willow Garth moated site and fishpond, Ecclesfield

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 Willow Garth site has a water-filled moat in which organic material is likely to survive. It has never been excavated and undisturbed deposits survive on the island where building foundations and other evidence of medieval activity will be well-preserved.

Details

Willow Garth moated site consists of a small rectangular island, measuring 25m x 20m, surrounded by a water-filled moat. Except on the south-west side, where it is narrower and partly filled in, the moat is c.10m wide and is embanked along its outside edge on all but the south-west arm. Several stone blocks indicative of wall-footings are visible on this side. On the south- east side, a small bay protrudes into the adjacent field. This is the site of a now filled-in channel leading to a terrace in the natural slope identified as an embanked fishpond, measuring c.40m x 15m and now also filled in. To the north of this, a narrow ditch runs eastward off the moat. Although in its present form a post-medieval feature, this is likely to have been recut from an earlier channel. Excluded from the scheduling are sections of modern fencing and hedging though the ground underneath is included. The site lies a few hundred metres from that of a priory which is now built over and not part of this scheduling.

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:

13223

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Addy, S O,

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