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 Danby Wiske survives well and significant archaeological
remains will be preserved. The monument offers important scope for
understanding the workings of a moated site and its role in the wider medieval
landscape.
Details
The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of the medieval moated
site located at the south end of the village of Danby Wiske.
The moated site includes an irregular, elliptically shaped moat enclosing an
area of approximately 2ha and to the north east of this area a second,
smaller, rectangular moat enclosing a raised platform approximately of 0.4ha.
To the north of the outer moat is an earthwork enclosure.
The outer moat survives on the east side as a shallow ditch up to 12m wide
with an outer bank 0.5m high and up to 9m wide. In other areas the outer moat
has been partly infilled over the years and survives as a shallow hollow. At
the west side there is a double earthwork arrangement which includes a
prominent outer bank with internal moat, a low bank to the east and a wide
sunken area crossed by a causeway giving access to the inner moat. The inner
sunken area is thought to be the remains of a wide pond which formed part of
the outer moat and may have acted as a fishpond or other water feature. At the
south west side of the outer moat, in the area of the current entrance, the
earthworks are no longer extant, having been disturbed by modern activity. The
inner moat includes a steep sided water filled ditch 4m wide enclosing an
area measuring approximately 50m by 65m. In the north east corner of the moat
are the remains of a channel connecting to the nearby River Wiske. At the
southern side of the inner moat there is a causeway giving access from the
inner platform to the outer enclosure. Remains of buildings and other features
will survive below ground on both the inner moated platform and in the area
enclosed by the outer moat. In the field to the north of the moat is an
earthen bank 4m wide which extends west to east for 75m then curves to the
south east. This is the upstanding remains of a series of field enclosures,
further remains of which can be identified on aerial photographs lying in the
fields to the west. These areas have, however, been disturbed by agricultural
activity, are not considered to be of national importance, and are not
included in the scheduling.
A number of features are excluded from the monument; these include The Glebe
House and garage, The Moat House, all garden fences, sheds, outbuildings,
lamp post, paths, steps, hard standing, bridges, the driveway, all field and
paddock fences and gates and the septic tanks, although the ground beneath
these features is included.
MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
