Details

The monument includes a moated site 550m south east of Scorborough Hall.
The monument is one of a group of associated sites in the Scorborough area,
which includes the shrunken medieval village of Scorborough, the Scorborough
Hall moated site and Iron Age cemetery, and another moated site north east of
Scorborough church, which are all the subject of separate schedulings.
The monument includes a central island measuring 38m north east-south west by
25m north west-south east, surrounded by a moat up to 12m wide and nearly 2m
deep. The moat has an exterior bank between 0.5m and 0.7m high and 2.5m wide.
The monument has overall dimensions of 85m north east-south west by 65m north
west-south east.
There are traces of building foundations upon the central island, consisting
of a rectangular bank measuring some 12.5m by 10m.
Post and wire fencing and gates are excluded from the scheduling, although the
ground beneath them 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 monument is part of a related group of moated sites and associated
settlement dating to the medieval period, in this area. It survives in good
condition and will retain environmental information from the moated ditch
fills relating to the period of its construction. Togther with the related
sites in this group, it will be able to offer important insights into the
social, economic and territorial divisions of this area during the medieval
period.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Le Patourel, H.E J, 'Monograph Series No 5' in The Moated Sites of Yorkshire, (1973), 117
Other
Humberside SMR, Sites and Monuments Record Sheet, (1995)

Source: Historic England