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.
Details
The monument includes the earthworks and buried remains of Cross Hall moated
site. It is located to the east of Ormskirk, between a school playing field to
the west and Cross Hall cow house and barn to the east, and commands extensive
views to the north and east. The monument includes a sub-rectangular platform
or island surrounded by what is now a largely dry moat. The island has been
raised slightly above the level of the surrounding land using the upcast from
the digging of the moat, and measures approximately 50m east-west by 30m
north-south. Access to the island is via a causeway on the east side. The
surrounding moat varies between about 10m to 30m in width and up to 1.5m deep,
but only narrow drainage ditches on the south and west sides remain
waterlogged. On the monument's north side there is an outer bank up to 10m
wide and 1m high. Cross Hall was a residence of the Stanley family and
although the date of construction of the original hall on the moated platform
is unknown, this early building is considered to have been abandoned during
the late 17th or early 18th century when a new Cross Hall was built
immediately to the east of the moated site. This latter building has
subsequently been demolished.
All modern field boundaries are excluded from the scheduling, although the
ground beneath these features is included.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
32847
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Other
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
End of official list entry
