Moated site 80m south east of Hallwater House

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 to the south east of Hallwater House survives well and is unencumbered by modern development. Despite partial infilling, the moat ditches will retain important deposits associated with the occupation and desertion of the site. Structural and artefactual evidence will provide evidence for the buildings which existed on the moated island.

Details

The monument includes a rectangular earthwork moated site situated in the valley of the Endon Brook to the west of a tributary stream channel. The site is orientated north east-south west and has external dimensions of approximately 125m by 75m. A road runs east-west across the northern part of the site. The moat has been mostly infilled but the southern and south western sections remain distinctly visible as shallow depressions. Part of the north eastern corner of the moat can also be traced on the ground surface. The moat ditches are approximately 13m wide and are visible as earthworks up to 1m deep. The moated island has a sub-rectangular plan and is higher than the surrounding ground surface, rising towards its centre. There is a levelled area in the north eastern part of the island defining a small rectangular platform. The moated site is known as `Audley's Moat' and is thought to be the site of a house belonging to Lord de Audley. The fence posts on the site, the two electricity poles and the surface of the road are all 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. 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:

21589

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Pape, T, Transactions of the North Staffordshire Field Club in Audley's Moat, Vol. 66, (1933), 192

End of official list entry

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