Moated site and field system 250m south east of Middle Morrey

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 250m south east of Middle Morrey is a well-preserved example of this class of monument. The moated island will retain structural and artefactual evidence of the buildings that once stood on the site, which together with the artefacts and organic remains existing in the moat, will provide valuable information about the occupation and social status of the inhabitants. Organic remains surviving in the moat will also provide information about changes to the local environment and use of the land. The cultivation remains demonstrate the nature of agricultural practices in the area following the construction of the moated site.

Details

The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a medieval moated site and an adjacent field system situated in an area of gently undulating land with good views of the surrounding countryside. The water-filled moat defines a square island 40m across. Access onto the island is via a modern bridge across the north western moat arm. The arms of the moat have an average width of 14m and are all at least 1m deep, and there is a 15m extension to the western part of the south western arm. A later drainage ditch has been cut from the south western corner of the moat. The remains of a strip cultivation system (ridge and furrow) surround the moat on its northern, eastern and western sides. A 20m wide sample area of this cultivation system is included in the scheduling in order to preserve its relationship with the moat. A number of features are excluded from the scheduling, these are; the modern field boundaries, gates and fences, the modern bridge over the north western moat arm and the surface of the track that runs past the site; the ground beneath all these features is, however, 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:

32310

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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