Moated site immediately east of All Saint'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 east of All Saint's Church survives well. It is largely undisturbed and will retain buried evidence for structures and other features relating to the period of occupation. The buried silts in the base of the ditch will contain both artefacts relating to its occupation and environmental evidence for the appearance of the landscape in which the monument was set.

The monument, which remains one of the best preserved moated sites in Buckinghamshire, lies in an area where moated sites are relatively numerous, and is situated in close proximity to one such site at Bierton, 2.5km to the south west. Comparisons between these sites will provide valuable insights into developments in the nature of settlement and society in the medieval period.

Details

The monument includes a medieval moated site east of All Saint's Church and approximately 450m west of the River Thame. The moated site includes a roughly square island measuring approximately 76m in width and level with the surrounding ground surface. The island is contained by a waterfilled ditch which measures up to 8m wide and at least 1m in depth. An outer bank, measuring a maximum of 7m wide and 0.8m in height and thought to represent upcast from the ditch, is visible on the east side of the moat. An inner bank, measuring on average 6m wide by 0.75m high, is visible on all four sides. Access to the island is via a narrow causeway on the southern side of the monument.

The local Antiquarian, JJ Sheahan noted in 1861 that the foundations of a building were discovered on the island during the planting of fruit trees and such remains may account for slight undulations visible towards the northern side. Given its proximity to the church the moat is likely to mark the site of the original manor of Hulcott, of which there is no record before the 13th century, when it was held of the honour of Wormegay by William Bardolf.

The fences around the outside edge of the moat ditch 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:

32110

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Sheahan, J J, History and Topography of Buckinghamshire, (1861), 164
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Buckinghamshire, (1969), 342

Other
Title: Bierton and Hulcott Inclosure Map Source Date: 1718 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: BRO IR/1A.R.

End of official list entry

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