Moated site at Naughton Hall

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 Naughton Hall survives well. The island is largely undisturbed by post-medieval and modern activity and will retain buried evidence for structures and other features relating to the development and character of the site throughout its periods of occupation.

In addition, silts in the base of the moat are expected to contain artefacts relating to the occupation of the moated site as well as organic remains including evidence for the local environment in the past.

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

Details

The monument includes a medieval moated site at Naughton Hall, immediately to the north west of Naughton Green and 100m to the north of the parish church of St Mary.

The moated site includes a roughly L-shaped island, measuring up to 116m north east to south west by 66m north west to south east. The island is defined by a water-filled moat, measuring up to 8m in width and 2m deep, on all but the central section of the south east side. On this side the moat is infilled and partly overlain by the present Naughton Hall a Listed Building Grade II, which dates from the 17th century. The moat is expected to survive as a buried feature here. The edge of the south eastern side of the island, directly to the east of Naughton Hall, is revetted with modern brick. Access to the island is across the infilled section of the south east arm of the moat. It is thought that Naughton Hall represents a successor to an earlier house on the island.

The shape of the moat suggests that the site may have originally comprised two distinct enclosures. The smaller, western section with the irregular moat is likely to have been the original site of the house, and the larger eastern section with the narrower moat may have been an associated yard or garden, possibly constructed as a later addition.

A transcript of an indenture dated 20th May 1611 between Edward Grymeston of Bradfield and his eldest son and heir, Sir Harbottle Grymeston, mentions the `capital messuage or mansion house and farm commonly called Naughton in the County of Suffolk' together with `all the buildings, edifices, gardens, orchards' etc.

Naughton Hall and all other outbuildings including the summer house, sheds, chicken shed and greenhouse, together with the modern brick revetting along the south eastern arm of the moat, all gates, walls, steps, the water butt, outdoor lighting, the fountain in the moat, all garden furnishings, the patio and man-made surfaces are 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. 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:

33298

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Other
Title: Tithe Map and Apportionment of Naughton Source Date: 1839 Author: Publisher: Surveyor: SRO(Bury): T221/1,2
SRO(Bury), Transcript of indenture between Edward and Sir Harbottle Grymeston, (1611)

End of official list entry

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