Details

The monument includes the buried and earthwork remains of the moated site at
Sodington Hall. The site is located 700m to the south west of St John's
Church, Mamble and is situated in a commanding position with the ground
falling sharply to the north and west.
Sodington was held along with Doverdale near Droitwich by William de Sodington
by 1303, and around 1316 passed solely to the Blounts who were the heirs of
William. Doverdale passed at the same time to the de Doverdales, also heirs of
William.
The moat measures approximately 110m north to south by 80m west to east
overall, with a 1m-2m high by 2m wide external bank to the north. The
northern arm is approximately 30m wide and has been excavated from the
hillside. This arm contains a series of drainage ditches in its bottom. The
eastern arm survives at its northern end for approximately 30m and is
approximately 15m wide, the remains of the arm having been infilled to the
south. The southern arm has also been infilled, however a survey in 1971
records both infilled areas as being 10m wide. The western arm is also
excavated into the hillside and is approximately 8m wide by 2m deep. The
island measures approximately 70m by 55m and is level with the surrounding
land to the east and south. There are no visible remains of the earthworks to
the south recorded in 1971, although a fishpond survives approximately 100m to
the south west of the moat. The pond and area to the south of the moat have
been modified and are therefore not included in the scheduling. The island
rises steeply from the surrounding moat on the west and north, being
approximately 4m higher than the prevailing ground level.
Access to the island is gained via a bridge situated midway along the eastern
arm with a second bridge located approximately 10m east of the south western
corner of the moat. These bridges are excluded from the scheduling, although
the ground beneath them is included. A further bridge, which is Listed Grade
II and considered to be the original access, is located on the western arm
adjacent to its junction with the northern arm and is included in the
scheduling. The island is occupied by a tennis court adjacent to the northern
arm and by Sodington Hall, a Listed Building Grade II.
The site has been subject to change since the survey in 1971 including the
infilling of the south and east arms, however, it is believed that earthmoving
operations were limited to the south of the moat.

Sodington Hall, the tennis court and all modern fences, surfaces and bridges
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.

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 Sodington Hall survives as a largely undisturbed and well
preserved example of a medieval moat. The island will preserve evidence of
former structures, including both domestic and ancillary buildings and their
associated occupation levels. These remains will illustrate the nature of use
of the site and the lifestyle of its inhabitants in addition to providing
evidence which will facilitate the dating of the construction and subsequent
periods of use of the moat.
The moat ditch will be expected to preserve earlier deposits including
evidence of its construction and any alterations during its active history. In
addition, the waterlogged condition of sections of the moat will preserve
environmental information about the ecosystem and landscape in which the moat
was set.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Bond, CJ, Sodington Hall, Mamble, Worcs., (1972)
Other
Bond, C.J., Provisional List of Moats in Worcestershire, (1972)
Bond, C.J., Record Cards, (1972)

Source: Historic England