Details

The moated site lies 200m south-east of Coston Manor House and south of the
village of Aston-on-Clun.

The moat is sub-rectangular in shape and measures 70m north-south by 75m
east-west. The moat island, which lies partly under a railway embankment, is
surrounded by a moat ditch 10m wide and 2m deep. A causeway 4m wide crosses
the western arm of the ditch, providing access to the interior. The ditch,
which is waterlogged, is surrounded by an outer bank 8m wide and 1m high on
all sides except the west. The moat island is slightly raised above the
surrounding land surface and it is considered to have been the location of a
medieval homestead. The railway line which crosses the moat island near its
eastern edge lies on a made-up embankment which directly rests upon the
surface of the monument. The railway and its embankment are excluded from the
scheduling but the ground beneath 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.

Although partly overlain by a railway line and embankment, Coston Manor moat
survives in good condition and retains considerable potential for the
preservation of archaeological and environmental evidence.

Source: Historic England