Details

The monument includes a sub-rectangular moated site located on a hill
overlooking the village of Easton and the valley of the River Deben to the
south west. The moat surrounds an island with maximum dimensions of 44m north
east - south west by 43m north west - south east and itself measures from 10m
to 12m in width and up to 3m in depth, the deepest part being in the northern
angle. It is water filled, fed by field drainage, with a short overflow
channel from the eastern corner to a ditch running alongside the adjacent
track, parallel to the south eastern arm. A second outflow channel, dug in
the early 1970s, connects the southern corner to the same ditch. Between these
two channels, the south eastern arm is bordered by an outer bank 7m - 8m wide
and 0.7m high, mounded to a height of 1.3m at the eastern end. A secondary
earthen causeway 7m wide across the western end of the south western arm of
the moat provides access to the island. Embedded on the western side of it are
two large, weathered stone blocks, each of which is approximately 0.7m across,
with a square socket cut into it to take the base of a timber upright. The
western end of the north western arm, adjacent to this, is shallow and
shelving, and was formerly used as a horse pond. The house, a Grade II Listed
Building is dated to the 17th century and stands towards the south eastern
side of the island. The inner face of the moat around the southern corner of
the island is vertical and revetted with a brick wall in which is an arched
opening leading to a filter bed and brick cistern through which the house was
formerly supplied with water, these features being included in the scheduling.
The dwelling house is excluded from the scheduling, as are the outbuildings, a
summer house on the island, all paths, fences and gates, but 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.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

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 Bentries Farm survives well, the earthworks being well
preserved and the greater part of the island unencumbered by buildings. It
will retain important archaeological information concerning the construction
and use of the site, and organic material will be preserved in water logged
deposits in the moat.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Hammond, J M and J S, (1992)

Source: Historic England