Moated site 190m south of Caludon Castle

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 moated site 190m south of Caludon Castle is a well preserved example of this class of monument and is unencumbered by modern development. The moated island will retain structural and artefactual evidence for buildings and other structures which originally existed, including evidence of their form, date and function. The moat ditches, which have silted naturally, will contain both artefactual and environmental information relating to the site's occupation and illustrating the landscape in which it was used. The interest of the moated site is enhanced by its close proximity to Caludon Castle and as a monument which is open to the public, it serves as a valuable educational resource and public amenity.

Details

The monument is situated within a public recreation area, 190m south of the site of Caludon Castle and includes a moated site.

The moated site has been constructed on a north facing slope and has external dimensions of 70m east to west and 77m north to south. The moat ditches are approximately 12m wide, and although they are now dry, map evidence indicates that the southern arm was still water-filled in 1890. External banks, up to 7m wide, are visible immediately beyond the northern and western moat ditches. The topography of the site suggests that these banks served as retaining banks, holding the water within the moat ditches. There is no visible evidence for the original access onto the moated island and it is therefore thought to have been via a bridge across the northern moat ditch, providing access from Caludon Castle. The moated island itself measures approximately 40m east to west and 46m north to south and will retain buried features associated with the occupation and use of the site although no earthworks are visible on the surface.

The ruins, earthwork and buried remains of Caludon Castle, a high status residence which was originally constructed in the late 12th century and occupied through to the late 17th century, are situated to the north of the moated site. These remains are the subject of a separate scheduling. A relationship with Caludon Castle is highly likely, and the moated site to the south was probably a secondary associated enclosure of similar date.

All fenceposts and the former reservoir chamber at the south eastern corner of the moated island are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features 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:

21616

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Tomlinson, M, The Victoria History of the County of Warwickshire, (1969), 121
Beresford, MW, Hurst, JG, Deserted Medieval Villages , (1971), 205
Chatwin, P B, Transactions of Birmingham Archaeoloigccal and Historical Society in Transactions of Birmingham Archaeoloigccal and Historical Society, Vol. 57, (1951), 27

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