Moated site at Manor 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 Manor Farm, Quedgeley, survives in a relatively undisturbed condition and can provide archaeological evidence which, combined with historical documentation, will provide information on the organisation and development of the buildings of the manor. The waterlogged conditions of the moat itself provide good potential for the preservation of environmental information and organic remains relating both to the economy of the site and the landscape in which the monument was constructed.

Details

The monument includes a moated site set on low lying ground c.2km south east of the River Severn. It comprises a rectangular four-armed moat, three arms of which remain visible, enclosing an island c.80m x c.50m orientated north west-south east. The moat is 9m wide at its widest point and c.4m deep and survives as a waterfilled feature on the south western side only. There is a slight internal and external bank c.0.3m in height running along the length of this side. The north western and north eastern arms survive as earthworks and are believed to contain waterlogged sediment. The south eastern arm has been infilled, possibly intentionally during the construction of the present farm buildings, and survives as a buried feature. A causeway, possibly on the original siting, crosses the middle of the south western side. This arm of the moat has been enlarged at the eastern end to form a small waterfilled pond c.24m in width. The central portion of the present house which is a Grade II Listed Building dates to the 15th century, the north wing to the 16th century, and the south wing to 1811. The original construction of Quedgeley probably occurred between 1250 and 1350 and the buried remains of earlier buildings are considered likely to survive. The present house and farm buildings are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath the uncellared parts (the two wings and the outbuildings) of the house and the farm buildings 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:

13805

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Morgan, K, The Victoria History of the County of Quedgeley, (1972)
Saville, A, Archaeological sites in the Avon and Glos. Cotswolds, (1980)
Saville, A, Plough Damage Survey, (1977)

Other
typology Pagination p5, Darvill, T., Moated Sites MPP Monument Class Description, (1988)
DOE, List of Buildings of Historic & Architectural Interest,

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