Moated site immediately south west of St Mary's Church

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 south west of St Mary's Church, Childswickham is an unusually large example. Although largely infilled, the moated site will preserve deposits including evidence of its construction and any alterations during its active history as well as artifactual evidence for the duration of use and the status of its occupants. In addition the island could be expected to preserve evidence of former structures, including both domestic and ancilliary buildings.

Details

The monument includes the known extent of the buried and earthwork remains of the semi-moated site immediately south west of St Mary's Church, Childswickham. The site is located on level ground. Although the moat arms have been largely infilled, a survey and part excavation carried out in the 1970s prior to their infilling, found no evidence for a northern moat arm, but confirmed that banks located outside the moat arms were constructed from gravel. It is therefore believed that the island measuring approximately 150m by 50m would have been one of the largest in the county, and was originally surrounded by a ditch on three sides only. The moat measured up to 8m wide and up to 1m deep. A low internal bank to the western and southern arms of 3m to 4m width was recorded. Also, in addition, a series of linear banks and ditches are situated outside the western and southern arms of the moat. All these features have become infilled over time and spread by cultivation but will be expected to survive as buried features. All modern fencing is excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath it 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:

31956

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Bond, C J, Childswickham Moat, (1976)

Other
Bond, C.J., Provisional List of Moats in Worcestershire, (1972)

End of official list entry

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