Moated site at Otterbourne Manor

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 a large number of moated sites are known in England, relatively few survive in Hampshire. This example is particularly important as it survives well with a good range of features and is associated with a listed building of 17th century date. In addition good documentary evidence for the use of the site survives.

Details

The monument includes an oval moated site at Otterbourne Manor. The site is orientated WNW-ESE and has maximum external dimensions of 140m east-west by 80m north-south. The moat survives to a width of c.12m and a depth of around 4m and encloses an area c.115m by 60m. The north and east arms of the moat are seasonally water-filled and well-preserved; the south and west sides are overgrown and infilled. Three causeways cross the moat, to the north-west, the north and the south. Traces of an exterior bank survive along part of the south side of the monument although this may result from later clearance of the moat. It has a width of 3m and a height of between 0.5 and 0.7m. The manor of Otterbourne is well-documented throughout the medieval period. It was granted to Merton College, Oxford in the mid 15th century and the manorial court was held in the manor house until the early 19th century. The grade 2 listed 17th century farmhouse and the other buildings within the protected area are all excluded from the scheduling, though the ground beneath them is included.

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:

12055

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Stamper, P, Medieval Hampshire: studies in landscape history, (1983)

Other
Dennison, E and Darvill, T, HBMC Monument Class Description - Moats, 1988,

End of official list entry

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