Details

The monument includes a moated site located south east of Dennington Village
on level ground above the valley of the River Alde, which lies 750m to the
north. The moat encloses three sides of a sub-rectangular island with maximum
dimensions of 39m east - west by 31m north - south, and is between 5m and 9m
wide and between 2.5m and 3m deep. It is water-filled, fed by surface
drainage, with a broad outlet at the south eastern angle which takes the
overflow into a field ditch. The fourth arm of the moat, which formerly
bounded the western side of the island, was crossed by a central causeway and,
south of the causeway was enlarged to 14m in width, with a rectangular horse
pond on the west side and a short southward projection approximately 6m wide
at the south western angle. It was filled-in in 1948 but survives as a buried
feature. North of the site of the causeway, the ground is noticeably damp, and
the angle between the outer edge of the former western end of the south arm of
the moat and the southward projection is marked by a terrace between 0.5m and
1m high. The island is now unoccupied; the original Elm Hall, which stood in
the middle of the southern side, was burnt down and the ruins subsequently
demolished at some time prior to World War II.

Farm buildings standing on the south western part of the site are excluded
from the scheduling, as are clothes-line posts, service poles, fences and
gates, but the ground beneath these buildings and 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 Elm Hall survives well, three arms of the moat being well
preserved, and the fourth, western arm remaining intact as a buried feature.
Most of the island is unencumbered by modern building. The monument will
retain important archaeological information concerning the construction and
subsequent occupation of the site, and is of additional interest as one of a
group of moated sites which survive in and immediately around the parish of
Dennington.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Mann, M, (1992)
Title: Ordnance Survey 1:2500, Old Series
Source Date:
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:

Source: Historic England