Moated site immediately north of St Margaret's Green

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 of St Margaret's Green survives well and, although parts of the interior may have undergone some disturbance from the construction of post-medieval farm buildings, the monument as a whole will retain archaeological information relating to the construction of the moat and its occupation during and after the medieval period. As a greenside moat, the monument represents one of several different variants of this class of monument which are represented within the nine parishes formerly known as the `liberty, manor or township of South Elmham' and which, as a group, are of particular interest for the study of settlement patterns in this part of Suffolk.

Details

The monument includes a moated site situated on level ground alongside a triangular green. The moat encloses the north, west and east sides and the south west and south east angles of a rectangular central platform with internal dimensions of approximately 73m north east-south west by 27m, the surface of which is raised between 0.4m and 0.6m above the prevailing ground level. The western end of the northern arm of the moat is enlarged to a width of up to to 15m, with a short westward projection from the north west corner, and is partly infilled. The remainder of the northern arm, which is water- filled, ranges from 5m to 8m in width. At the south western corner of the moat is the opening of an outlet channel running south westwards alongside the green. It is probable that the moat originally enclosed more of the southern side and has been been partly infilled, but if so, it will survive as a buried feature. A hollowed track runs from this side across the interior to a narrow causeway which gives access to the interior across the northern arm and is possibly not original. Fragments of pottery of 15th and 16th century date found on the surface of the field immediately to the north of the moat are evidence for occupation of the site during the medieval period.

A timber framed house which formerly stood on the western half of the central platform was burnt down in the late 19th century and nothing of it remains visible on the surface.

A brick built barn on the south eastern part of the moated island and service poles on the outer margin of the moated site are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath 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:

30548

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Walpole, Mrs W , (1996)

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