Details

The monument includes a group of earthworks lying approximately 100m to the
west of the Church of St Hilary, a grade II listed building at the heart of
the village. The remains lie to the south of Church Hill, and comprise a
moated platform with surrounding earthworks representing the remains of water
management systems, trackways and enclosures. Traces of at least one
rectangular building on the platform are visible and there is documentary
evidence for an extant building on the site as late as 1775. To the south,
the earthworks are bounded by a drain with a bank which links to a hollow-way
to the east.

Documentary evidence suggests that there were two distinct settlements at
Spridlington in the early medieval period which were united in 1417. Two
manors are noted in the Domesday Book of 1086 and the monument is thought to
incorporate the remains of the former south manor of the village, which was
held by Sir John Chaumont in the C14. Both the north and south manors saw
significant decline in population and wealth throughout the medieval period.

The moated platform is rectangular and measures approximately 25m by 45m. It
stands about 1m above the earthwork remains of the filled moat which measures
up to 10m in width at its top and surrounds the platform on all four sides.
Parallel along the inside of the north arm of the platform is a linear bank,
curving at its eastern extent. Part of a bank is parallel with the southern
arm at the western end. These features are considered to represent the
remains of the building located on the platform. To the east, west, south and
north are earthworks representing channels and ponds associated with the
water management system for the moat. A filled pond to the west channelled
water into the north-west corner of the moat. Additional channels lead into
the moat from the west and east, the latter leading to an oblong depression
considered to represent a fishpond. Outlets at the south-east and south-west
corners of the moat have been partially obscured by the drain at the southern
boundary of the monument. Further to the north of the moat is an enclosure
measuring approximately 85m x 35m surrounded by a linear bank on all sides.
The entrance to the enclosure is on the western arm and is directly accessed
from the banked trackway leading into the monument from near to its
north-west corner. Another banked enclosure of `L' shaped plan lies to the
south and west of the platform and measures approximately 80m x 40m. It
contains curvilinear features likely to represent animal enclosures. The
enclosures, and other earthworks described, are associated with the moated
manor site and are all included in the scheduling.

All fences and modern drainage channels are excluded from the scheduling, but
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 seignurial 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 1250 and 1350 and bar 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 or organic remains.

The medieval moated site at Spridlington exhibits a variety of features
including the remains of internal structures, a complete moat and associated
water management features, ponds and enclosures and the relationship between
them is preserved. The remains survive well as earthworks and buried deposits
and there is a potential for the survival of organic remains in the moat and
ponds. The site has never been excavated, but a detailed earthwork survey by
the RCHME has enhanced our understanding of the monument.

Source: Historic England