Moated site at King's 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 at King's Farm survives well. The central island and the moat, including the infilled north western arm, will retain archaeological information concerning its original construction and occupation during the medieval period, including evidence for earlier buildings on the site, predating the present house. It is one of three moated sites which bordered and had access to Cranley Green, the outline of which can still be traced in surviving boundaries. As a group, these represent a good example of greenside settlement, characteristic of this area of Suffolk, and are thus of particular interest for the study of medieval settlement in the region. The other two moated sites are the subject of separate schedulings.

Details

The monument includes a moated site located some 310m to the south of the site of Cranley Green. Three arms of the moat remain open and water-filled, enclosing the north east, south east and south west sides of a rectangular central island with internal dimensions of approximately 67m north east-south west by 63m. The north western arm of the moat is shown on an estate map of 1840 and, although it has been infilled, it will survive as a buried feature. The inner edge of the infilled arm is still defined in part by a slight, north west-facing scarp. The parts of the moat which are open measure about 5m in width on average, but a gentle scarp up to 3m wide above the inner edge of the south eastern arm indicates that, on that side at least, it may have been recut within a wider feature.

The farmhouse, which stands in the north western part of the central island is a Listed Building Grade II. This and an adjacent garage and kennel, paving and a low wall around the southern and eastern sides of the house, a swimming pool, the surfaces of a driveway and farm track, inspection chambers and clothes line posts are all excluded from the scheduling, however 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:

30598

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Title: Map...of Farms and Premises belonging to Sir Edward Kerrison Source Date: 1840 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: SRO REf HA68 484/762

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