Details

The monument includes a moated site, lying in the valley of the River Severn.
The moated site forms part of the garden of Slimbridge Rectory, adjacent to
the churchyard on the east side of Slimbridge village.
The moated site, aligned north west-south east, includes a central, uneven,
oblong island c.65m long and c.30m wide surrounded by a moat. The moat now
takes the form of an open ditch, except on the south east side, where it is
infilled. The moat is 1.25m deep and varies in width from c.5.8m to c.10m.
The site, said to be the location of a medieval manor house, is associated
with the occupation of Slimbridge Rectory and Church by Parliamentarian troops
in the Civil War. The Rector at that time, Mr N Richardson, was imprisoned
in Gloucester under suspicion of being a Royalist spy, and later was returned
to Slimbridge, where he died. Physical evidence of the Civil War association
is present in the discovery of pistol balls in 1987.
The moated site appears to have been landscaped in the 18th century as part of
the Rectory garden. On the outer edge of the north east arm of the moat is a
bank of earth of irregular width and height. This is divided into sections
which converge on a wooden bridge across the moat. Corresponding to this, on
the same arm of the moat, but on its inner side, is a stone revetment, c.1m
high, which is so constructed that it can be seen from the Rectory. A
red-brick wall with cement capping is set on the stone revetment on the inner
side of the moat, and forms the edge of the island on that side. The wall
appears to date from a period before the moat was infilled, since it follows
the obvious line of its south east corner. Medieval ploughing, showing as
ridge and furrow marks, lie close to the moated site in the fields to the
north, south and east.
A number of features within the area are excluded from the scheduling; these
are the gravestones, incinerator, the boundary walls of `Sweet Charity' and a
number of garden features, a brick wall, wooden bridge and stone revetment;
the ground beneath all these features is, however, 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 Slimbridge survives well and will contain archaeological
information and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the
landscape in which it was constructed. Documentary and archaeological evidence
relate to the use of this site from the 17th century onwards. Traces of
medieval ploughing lie close to the moated site on its north, south and east
sides, giving an indication of its setting in the medieval period.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
Reverend Eric Charlesworth,
The Parish Church of St John the Evangelist Slymbridge Glouc.,

Source: Historic England