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 a medieval moated site immediately south of Pinhoe Hall,
situated on a spur overlooking the village of Hundon to the north.
The moated site includes a roughly rectangular island, measuring up to 110m
east-west by 34m north-south. This is surrounded by a partly waterfilled moat
measuring an average 12m in width and 1.5m in depth. The causeway across the
north arm of the moat is thought to represent the original access to the
island. The moat on either side of the causeway has been partly infilled and
the causeway widened, although the moat will survive here as a buried feature.
Metal plates, acting as barriers between the open and partly infilled areas of
the moat, were added when this section of the moat was infilled. Evidence for
buildings includes the remains of a brick wall recorded in 1977 along the
southern face of the island, and large quantities of medieval brick and tile
were found in the southern arm of the moat and on the surface of the island.
The present Pinhoe Hall dates from at least the 18th century and is thought to
represent a successor to an earlier house on the island. Pinhoe Hall is not
included in the scheduling.
The moated site is believed to represent the manor of Purowe, formerly known
as Penowe or Gorreles Hall, where in 1315 Hugh Gorell held quarter of a fee
and in 1425 Walter de Gazeley held half a fee. `Pynner Hall' is marked on
Hodskinson's 1783 Map of Suffolk.
The glasshouse, the bridge across the south arm and the jetty overlying the
south arm of the moat are all 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:
33301
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals 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
