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 moated site, known as The Mount, set on low-lying
ground in the Severn Vale. It is visible as a square moat enclosing an
island measuring 50m by 48m and orientated north east-south west. The moat
varies from approximately 10m to 16m wide and 3m to 4m deep to the surface of
the water. The surface of the island is raised about 1.5m above the level of
the ground outside the moat and a building platform, about 36m square and
0.5m high, is visible on the island. Between the platform and the inside edge
of the moat on all four sides is a slight ditch and bank which is included
in the scheduling. The moat narrows slightly in the north west corner. The
south west corner of the moated site is abutted by the gateway into the
churchyard and may have been the original access to the moat island.
The Mount is believed to have been the site of the manor house of the
manor of Haresfield, held after the Norman Conquest by Durand, sheriff of
Gloucester, and later by the de Bohun family. Although it is not known
precisely when The Mount was constructed, a house called `The Mount' was
assessed at eight hearths in 1672 and in 1680 was described as `adjoining
the great old stone house and shooting towards the moat'.
A number of features are excluded from the scheduling; these are the ruins
of a small stone building on the north west corner of the island, the
wooden footbridge across the north west corner of the moat, all wooden
gates, the metal fence to the south and east of the moat and the metal
kissing gate at the south east corner; the ground beneath all these
features is, however, included.
The wooden three-bar fences on the east and west sides of the monument
which lie beyond the area of protection are not included in the
scheduling.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
32365
Legacy System:
RSM
Sources
Books and journals
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
