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.
Moat Farm moated site survives well and displays a good range of the features
associated with this class of monument, including an internal pond which is
well preserved. It will retain important archaeological information concerning
the construction and use of the site, and evidence of earlier land use will be
contained in soils buried beneath the raised surface of the eastern part of
the island. Organic materials will also be preserved in waterlogged deposits
in the moat and pond.
Details
The monument includes a moated site situated along the southern boundary of
Heveningham parish and above the valley of the River Yox which runs 600m to
the south. The moat, which measures between 6m and 8m in width and has a
depth of up to 1.5m, surrounds a quadrangular island with maximum dimensions
of 95m east-west by 80m north-south, the overall dimensions of the moated
site being 110m by 92m. The northern and southern arms of the moat are
crossed by opposed causeways, although the southern of the two, giving access
to the field beyond, is an addition to the original layout. The northern arm
of the moat, to the west of the causeway, is expanded externally to form a
pond which survives as a dry hollow up to 1m deep and measuring approximately
23m across. Around the outer edge of this pond, on the west side, are traces
of a slight bank. At the north western angle of the moat, and forming a
westward extension of it, is a sub-triangular pond measuring approximately 17m
by 13m. The moat, which is fed by surface drainage, is silted and is
seasonally wet, although it is likely that deposits below the surface remain
permanently waterlogged. The island is partly divided by a southward extension
of the northern arm of the moat, flanking the east side of the causeway and
comprising a ditch approximately 30m long, measuring up to 4m in width and
1.5m in depth. The southern end of the subdivision is marked by a
corresponding but much shorter northward spur, approximately 5m in length, on
the southern arm. The surface of the island to the east of these features is
raised approximately 0.5m above the prevailing ground level and centrally
located within this area is an east-west linear pond, measuring approximately
23m by 6m and connected to the eastern arm of the moat by a short channel
which probably incorporated a sluice.
The house, which is dated in part to the 16th or 17th century and is Listed
Grade II, stands just south of the centre of the island and is excluded from
the scheduling, together with its associated outbuildings; also excluded are
the farm buildings which occupy the north western part of the site, the track
which crosses the site, all yard surfaces, and inspection chambers, although
the ground beneath all these buildings and 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.
