Moated site at Eastcote Hall

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 at Eastcote Hall preserves several features which demonstrate the construction, occupation and water manangement of the site. The moat and pond have remained water filled and will preserve buried organic remains in good condition. Few such sites survive well within the region, although they were once a notable feature in the landscape.

Details

The monument includes the buried and earthwork remains of the moated site at Eastcote Hall. The moat is small measuring approximately 60m north-south, by 50m east-west enclosing an island approximately 40m by 40m. The moat, between 5m to 10m wide, is water-filled on all four sides and is terraced into the ground which rises towards the east. The outer bank of the eastern arm rises 2m to 4m above the surface of the island. On the outer edge of the western arm there is a broad shallow bank approximately 1m to 2m high which runs along the length of the moat ditch. The island of the moat is level and is occupied by a house and gardens. The house, which is a Grade II* Listed Building, is excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath it is included. Although much expanded the house contains at its core a 15th century hall. There is a capped well near the south west corner of the island. A modern brick built vehicle bridge crosses the middle of the northern arm in the vicinty of the original point of access to the island. The moat appears to be spring fed from a site near the south western angle. To the west of the moat lies a shallow sub-rectangular fishpond which is fed from the moat by an outlet at its north western angle. The pond measures approximately 60m by 6m and lies adjacent to the River Blythe. The area between the River Blythe and the southernmost point of the pond was probably the location for a sluice linking the two. Both the bridges, the house and the garden furniture, all the security lights, and modern fencing and the surfaces of modern paths and steps are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath all these 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.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

30007

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Warwickshire, (1908), 22
Pevsner, N, Wedgewood, A, The Buildings of England: Warwickshire, (1990), 26 & 86

End of official list entry

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