Moated site immediately west of Hall Farm

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 west of Hall Farm survives well as a series of earthworks and buried deposits. They have been little altered since medieval times indicating that archaeological remains are likely to survive. The artificially raised ground will preserve evidence of land use prior to construction of the moat. In addition, waterlogging in the moat will preserve organic remains such as timber, leather and seeds, which will provide valuable information about domestic and economic activity on the site.

Details

The monument includes a medieval moated site located immediately west of Hall Farm. Prior to the Domesday Survey the land at South Reston belonged to Ailsi and subsequently to the Norman lord, Ansgot of Burwell. The moated site is the only surviving part of a larger complex which formerly included enclosures and medieval ridge and furrow cultivation.

The island is subrectangular in plan, measuring 50m by 30m, and is enclosed by a water-filled moat. The island is slightly raised above the surrounding ground level and would have accommodated buildings such as a manor house and ancillary domestic buildings. A shallow linear hollow, crossing the island approximately halfway along its length, is thought to represent a subdivision, separating the house from a yard or paddock. The moat measures 12m to 14m in width and up to 1.5m deep with a slight internal bank at the northern and eastern corners.

The brick and wood footbridge at the southern corner of the moat and all fence posts 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. 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:

33130

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Harris, J, Antram, N, The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire, (1989)
Start, D, Hall, C, Lincolnshire's Heritage, (1996), 57
Foster, C W, Longley, T, The Lincolnshire Domesday and the Lincolnshire Survey, (1976)
Owen, A E B, Lincolnshire History and Archaeology in Castle Carlton: The Origins Of A Medieval New Town, Vol. 27, (1992), 17-22

End of official list entry

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