Details

The monument includes the buried and earthwork remains of a medieval moated
site 120m south east of Huntingdrop Farm. The site is located on level ground
at the western edge of the parish of Hanbury, approximately 1.6km east of
Droitwich.

Huntingdrop was originally part of Dodderhill parish (detached) and later
incorporated into the parish of Hanbury in the 19th century. The moated site
occupies land believed to have been in cultivation by 1086 and is considered
to have been a high status site.

The moated island is sub-rectangular, measuring some 50m by 48m, and is
defined by a ditch, or moat, which although silted still maintains a depth of
water. The moat is irregular throughout its circuit. The northern arm is
approximately 10m wide and has been widened to 30m to form a pond for the
first 35m of its western end. The eastern arm is connected to the northern arm
by a 1m-2m wide by 3m long leat. This eastern arm measures approximately
10m wide and 20m in length and has a short extension to the west at its
southern end. The southern arm runs diagonally at approximately 45 degrees
from the southern end of the eastern arm to the south east. It broadens from
approximately 10m wide to a maximum of 20m in width at the junction with the
western arm. The western arm is approximately 10m to 14m wide. A small
irregular island lies within the western arm of the moat. This island measures
from 2m wide at the northern end to 10m wide at its southern end and is
approximately 40m in length. The moat, which is believed to be filled by
surface run off and springwater, drains via its south western and south
eastern corners. Access to the moated island is gained via causeways in the
north western and south eastern corners. A third causeway exists 20m to the
south west of the south eastern entrance. This is believed to represent the
original entrance. Surface undulations on the moated island are believed to
mark the locations of buried structures including the main dwelling and
associated auxiliary buildings.

All modern fencing and surfaces 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 moated site 120m south east of Huntingdrop Farm survives as a largely
undisturbed and well preserved example of a high status medieval moat which
incorporates unusual features. The undisturbed nature of 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 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 the moat will preserve artefactual and
environmental information about the landscape in which it was set.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Aston, M, Moat at Huntingdrop Farm, Hanbury, Worcs., (1970)
Dyer, C, Hanbury Survey, (1991)
Dyer, C, 'Occasional Papers in English Local History, Fourth Series, #4' in Hanbury: Settlement And Society In A Woodland Landscape, , Vol. 4, (1991)
Other
Bond, C.J., Provisional List of Moats in Worcestershire, (1972)
Record Cards, (1970)

Source: Historic England