Moated site at Upsland Farm

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.

Despite continual occupation of the platform, the moated site at Upsland Farm survives in a fair condition. It is an unusual shape and significant archaeological remains will be preserved within the platform and the accumulated silts in the ditch. The site thus offers important scope for the study of this class of monument.

Details

The monument includes a moated site comprising an infilled ditch surrounding a raised central platform and is located on gently undulating land. The current farm, built on the site of the original occupation, lies at the north end of the platform. The site is an unusual elliptical shape with the moat ditch enclosing a platform measuring 200m north west to south east by 100m north east to south west. The edge of the platform is clearly identifiable for the entire circuit. To the south west the outer edge of the ditch has been modified by the straightening of a field drain. To the south east the ditch can still be identified as a faint hollow. Elsewhere the ditch has been infilled and can no longer be clearly identified as an earthwork. It will survive as a buried feature. On the northern side of the site the ditch has been substantially widened to form a farm pond. The platform is currently approached by a causeway at the north which is thought to be the original entrance. There is a slight earthwork bank crossing the width of the platform dividing it into two roughly equal enclosures. The house, outbuildings, barns, walls, fences and the surfaces of all paths tracks and driveways are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath 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:

28251

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Le Patourel, H E J, Moated site of Yorkshire, (1973), 121

Other
Upsland Moated Site,

End of official list entry

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