Moated site immediately north east of Home 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.

The moated site immediately north east of Home Farm survives well as a series of earthworks and buried deposits. Waterlogging at the base of the moat and channels will preserve organic remains, such as timber, leather and seeds, which will give an insight into domestic and economic activity on the site. The artificially raised banks will preserve evidence of land use prior to the construction of the moat.

As one of two moats associated with the medieval village of Withcall it contributes to an understanding of the relationship between contemporary components of the medieval landscape.

Details

The monument includes a medieval moated site located 100m north east of Home Farm. The moat is one of two such sites located within the area of the former medieval village of Withcall; the second moat 250m to the north east is the subject of a separate scheduling. Documentary records show that in 1086 land at Withcall was held by the Bishop of Bayeux, Rainer de Brimou, and William Blund. By the 14th century the lands at Withcall were held by William Ribald of Louth.

The monument lies on a south facing slope and takes the form of a rectangular moated enclosure, cut into the natural slope, including two adjacent islands, separated by a moat arm, a level terraced area to the south west of the islands, and an external bank and water channel. The monument covers an area measuring 110m by 105m.

The island, lying in the north western part of the complex, is rectangular in plan measuring 40m by 30m. It includes the earthwork remains of a building at the eastern corner, thought to represent the manor house, and a hollow on the western side thought to be the base of a World War II Anderson shelter. On the north western side of the upper island the moat, now dry, measures up to 15m in width and is up to 2.5m deep. A partly infilled section of the north west moat arm is thought to represent an original access point to the island. The second island lies immediately to the south east, separated by a narrow, deep moat arm. The island is sub-rectangular in plan, measuring 45m by 20m, and lined with internal banks on the north western and south eastern sides. The island has a gently sloping interior and is thought to have been used as a yard or paddock.

On the south western side of the two islands there is a broad flat area, terraced into the natural slope, marked by a steep slope to the north west and a lesser gradient to the south west. A large circular mound, measuring 14m in width, lying to the south west of the lower island, is thought to represent the remains of a former outer bank which bounded the moat arm on this side. To the south east of the lower island a low bank represents the south eastern limit of the moat with a shallow external channel forming part of the complex's water control system.

Other areas of the village have not survived as fully identifiable earthwork remains and, although these areas will include archaeological remains, the level of survival is currently unknown and they are not included in the scheduling.

A septic tank on the north west edge of the moat and all fences are excluded from the scheduling, although 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:

31620

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Foster, C W, Longley, T, The Lincolnshire Domesday and the Lincolnshire Survey, (1976)

Other
NMR, 353113, (1998)
Lincolnshire Archives Office, MM 1/1/22, (1399)
Mr Henry Smith, (1998)

End of official list entry

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