Details

The monument includes the remains of two Medieval moated enclosures and
their associated leats and fishponds. The first enclosure is square in
shape with arms measuring some 60m in length. The 12m wide moat has been
backfilled on south-west and part of the north-west sides to allow for
the construction of buildings. The island contains the upstanding Post
Medieval remains of Newbury Farm house and two ornamental out-houses on
the north-east edge of the island which are excluded from the
scheduling, although the ground below the buildings is included. The
other buildings (barns and greenhouses) and the ground surfaces are
similarly excluded.
Associated with the moat are three fishponds connected by a series of
inflow and outflow leats. One of the leats also connects to a second
moated enclosure to the north-east of Newbury Farm. This moated
enclosure is rectangular in form measuring some 55m by 40m inclusive of
its 6m wide surrounding moat. The original entrance causeway facing
Newbury Farm remains largely intact although there is now a modern
bridge (excluded from scheduling). The interior is flat with no visible
remains of earlier buildings and features.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.

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 Newbury Farm enclosures are an above average example of a
Bedfordshire double moated site. The monument provides a good example of
typical water-management strategies associated with rural sites of this
size.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Anon, CRO Ref 2 (Re Newbury Farm),
CRO 217/2, Newbury Farm, Silsoe,
J.R.L., (Re Newbury Farm), (1973)
L26/457 (Re Newbury Farm), (1845)
L33/9 (Re Newbury Farm), (1826)
Porter, H, X1/89 (Re Newbury Farm), (1757)

Source: Historic England