Details

The monument includes a medieval moated site 90m west of Terrick House.

The moated site includes a roughly square island measuring a maximum of 24m
north east-south west by 20m north west-south east. This is surrounded by a
steep-sided water-filled ditch, or moat, which measures approximately 1m deep
and approximately 8m in width. Although there is no visible outer bank the
ground to the south east and south west slopes steeply down towards the moat.
Slight undulations on the island are believed to represent either the buried
remains of a building or perhaps have been created by clearing the moat ditch
and spreading the upcast. A narrow leat extends for approximately 10m from the
east corner of the moat. A modern iron bridge crosses the south eastern arm of
the moat.

The 1805 Ellesborough Inclosure Map shows a north west extension to the north
eastern arm of the moat, a small pond immediately to the south east of the
moat and two further ponds, 120m to the east. The ponds are thought to
represent medieval fishponds associated with the moated site. The extension to
the moat and the three ponds have all long since been infilled and built over,
and as they cannot now be located they are not included in the scheduling.

The summer house, the pathway and steps on the island, the netting, fencing
and wooden revetting around the outside of the moat and the iron bridge are
all excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features
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 90m west of Terrick House survives well. It is largely
undisturbed and will retain buried evidence for structures and other features
relating to the period of occupation. The buried silts in the base of the moat
ditch will contain both artefacts relating to the period of occupation and
environmental evidence for the appearance of the landscape in which the
monument was set.

The monument lies in an area where moated sites are fairly numerous, and its
unusually small size represents a variation from the more usual dimensions of
moated sites in the region. Further moated sites are situated at Grove Farm,
200m to the south west, Apsley Manor Farm, 1.4km to the north west and Marsh,
2.6km to the north west. Comparisons between the sites will provide valuable
insights into the nature of settlement and society in the medieval period.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Page, W , The Victoria History of the County of Buckinghamshire, (1969), 331
Pevsner, N, Williamson, E, The Buildings of England: Buckinghamshire, (1994), 295
Other
Title: Ellesborough Inclosure Map
Source Date: 1805
Author:
Publisher:
Surveyor:
Bucks Record Office Ref: D/BMT/67R

Source: Historic England