More information : (TQ 9001 2393) Moat (GT) (Site of)
The Moat (GT) (1)
Homestead Moats Class F. Remains of a moat at Moat Farm, Iden. (2)
The Manor of Moat or La Mote first appears in 1318, when Sir
Edmund de Passeley, owner of Leigh, received licence to crenellate his dwelling place of La Mote. (3)
Near Moat Farm are the scanty remains of a fortified manor house enclosed by a large homestead moat.
The moat, which is fairly well preserved, and which is
sub-rectangular in plan, measures overall 130.0m. NE-SW by an average 140.0m transversely. It is waterfilled on the SW side
only. The original entrance was midway in the NW side, and an extension to the enclosed area which projects out into the moat carried some form of gatehouse, of which a fragment of walling remains in situ on the N side of the entrance way. It is 1.2m thick and is built of ragstone and flint rubble masonry formerly faced on both sides with ashlar. There is a corresponding patch of wall foundation on the S side.
The entrance was defended by a second outer moat which joins the inner moat at its NW and SW corners. The outer moat is
waterfilled to the S of the causewayed entrance which crosses it midway.
The stream which fed the moats from the south was dammed to form a fish pond, which is now dry but in good condition.
Moat Farm cottage, built of red brick, has foundations of massive stone blocks, which without doubt, came from the site. Similar stones are to be found in farm outbuildings 100.0m to the south.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. (4)
Moated site c 170 ft square. Stands 8 ft above water level. Moat from 100 ft - 75 ft wide, dug only on W. Some upstanding limestone-faced masonry, 6 x 3ft x 3 ft high, flint covered and bonded with mortar, c 30 ft from NW corner. (5)
"The Moat" (name verified), a fortified manor house generally as described by Phillips F1, except that the enclosing moat is
now waterfilled, the level being retained by a modern sluice at TQ 9009 2395. Disturbed ground within the enclosed area along the S and W sides indicates the footings of buildings. Survey of 1962 (25") revised. (6)
Listed by Cathcart King. (7) |