Moated site at Pond 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.

Despite infilling of the western arm, the moated site at Pond Farm survives well. The island remains relatively undisturbed and will retain buried evidence for earlier structures and other features relating to the development and character of the site throughout its occupation. The buried silts in the base of the ditches will contain both artefacts relating to early habitation of the site and environmental evidence for the appearance of the landscape in which the moated site was set. In addition, the western arm, which was infilled prior to 1811 when a tithe map was produced, will preserve evidence for the earliest occupation on the site in its buried silts.

Comparative studies between this site and further examples, both locally and more widely, will provide valuable insights into the developments of settlement in medieval England.

Details

The monument includes a medieval moated site at Pond Farm, 450m ENE of the parish church of Eltisley.

The moated site includes a roughly rectangular island which measures 50m north-south by up to 46m east-west and which is raised by approximately 1.5m above the surrounding ground surface. This is defined on three sides by a water-filled moat, measuring up to 8m wide and at least 2m in depth. A shallow linear depression indicates the position of the west arm of the moat which was partly infilled in the late 19th century and now survives as a buried feature. It is believed that the island was originally approached by a causeway across the western arm of the moat. The present house, which is located towards the western side of the island, dates from the 16th century and is believed to represent a successor to an earlier house. The moated site at Pond Farm represents one of two medieval (manorial) centres in the village, and was known in 1456 as `le Upende' and in 1851 as `Great Green'. The other manorial centre, at Manor Farm, located 400m to the south, is the subject of a separate scheduling (SM33274).

Pond Farmhouse, a Listed Building Grade II, the barn, the walls, all modern surfaces, steps, fences and gateways 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.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

33273

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Royal Commission on Historical Monuments, , West Cambridgeshire, (1968), 97
The Victoria History of the County of Cambridgeshire, (), 47

Other
Title: 1st Edition Ordnance Survey Map Source Date: 1887 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: CRO: XXXVIII:15
Title: Eltisley Enclosure Map Source Date: 1864 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: CRO: Q/RDc 81

End of official list entry

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