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 moated site at Peters Green is oval in shape and includes a slightly
raised island within a broad moat situated just above the floodplain of the
Kent Ditch.
Moated sites are generally seen as the prestigious residences of the Lords of
the manor. The moat marked the high status of the occupier, but also served
to deter casual raiders and wild animals. Most moated sites were constructed
between 1250 and 1350, and partial excavations at this site in 1970 suggested
that a 13th century date for its origin is indeed appropriate. Excavation
also showed that the moated site was short lived, having been abandoned around
the time at which Bodiam Castle was built ca. 1390.
On the north west side of the monument is a rectangular expansion of the moat
which probably represents a former fishpond which would have been separated
from the main moat by a sluice and which would have supplied fresh fish for
the table. Such features are usually on the upstream side of moated sites,
and the location of the example at Peter's Green suggests that the water
courses in the area have been altered significantly, probably at the time of
parliamentary enclosure when the neighbouring regular fields were laid out and
a new drainage system organised.
All above-ground structures within the constraint area are excluded from the
scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
12739
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals 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
