Moated site and fishpond 450m north west of Hunkington

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 450m north west of Hunkington is a well-preserved example of this class of monument. The moated island will retain buried structural and artefactual evidence of the buildings that once stood on the site which, together with the artefacts and organic remains existing in the moat, will provide valuable evidence about the occupation and social status of the inhabitants. Organic remains surviving within the moat will also provide information about the changes to the local environment and the use of the land. Fishponds were constructed throughout the medieval period and were used for the breeding and storing of fish in order to provide a sustainable supply of food. The adjoining fishpond provides further evidence about the economy and lifestyle of the occupants of the moated site during the medieval period.

Details

The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a medieval moated site and fishpond occupying a low-lying position and surrounded by gently undulating land. This is considered to be the site of Moat House, which was occupied by the Onley family in the 15th and 16th centuries. There is a memorial brass plate to John Onley (died 1512) and his wife in the nearby Church of St John the Baptist at Withington. The moat defines a square island approximately 37m across. The arms of the moat are between 8m and 20m wide, and the north eastern arm has been extended by 40m to the south east to form an enlarged reservoir, which probably served as a fishpond. All the moat arms, including the extension, are waterlogged. The outer edges of the south eastern and north eastern moat arms and the extension have been cut by modern drainage ditches. 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:

33821

Legacy System:

RSM

End of official list entry

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