Monument Type(s):

• GATEHOUSE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• MANOR HOUSE (Medieval to 17th century - 1066 AD to 1699 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• MOATED SITE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• REVETMENT (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1901 AD)
• CART SHED (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)
• COW HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)
• THRESHING BARN (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument and Listed Building: A well-preserved and well-documented medieval moated site, probably at one time a manor site, which contains not only the remains of a late medieval residence but also the finest moat revetment wall in Shropshire.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA821 - 1971 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA822 - 1981 field observation by Shropshire County Council
• ESA7138 - 2014 Watching Brief at Moat Farm, Stapleton by Malcolm L. Reid

Description

(Behind Moat Farmhouse) are the remains of the half timber gateway, consisting of sides and beam over. It was destroyed some 20 years ago. (writing in 1949) <1a>
The present Moat farm-house stands, within the moat, upon tall stone plinths for three ranges of buildings, which were doubtless part of a medieval fortified house. The present house is timber-framed and has in one room heavy moulded beams and a boss of the time of Henry VIII. <1b>
The moat is dried up, and an orchard has taken its place on two sides <1c>
Of the gatehouse, only a fragment of the footings remain at SJ45718 03526. OS FI 1971. Moat Farm house has been modernised and now exhibits no external features of architectural or historical interest. It stands on a raised rectangular platform which, when surrounded by the moat would have been a position of some strength. The moat, however, has now almost gone, as the one remaining arm (the NE side), is being filled up with farm debris. <1d>

The rectangular moat that once surrounded Moat Farm has now been almost completely filled in, and only the raised platform of the moat island survives in its original form. This is surrounded on each side by a well preserved revetment wall of ashlar . The original entrance is on the W side where a timber framed gatehouse stood until the 1930s. M Watson FI 1981 <2>

Revetment wall. Probably C14 or C15 with later repairs. Dressed sandstone blocks repaired with uncoursed rubble and red brick. Approximately 3 to 4.5m high and enclosing an area about 80m square, the south- west corner serves as the sandstone plinth for Moat Farmhouse (q.v.) and the gap in the west side probably represents the site of its demolished gatehouse. A partly infilled moat surrounds the farm. <4>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of 133 Moated sites. <5>

Scheduled in 2000. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork, standing structural and buried remains of a medieval moated site. It is considered to be the manor of the Stapleton family, and passed to Edward Leighton in 1455. The Leightons held the manor until the 17th century when it was apparently sold to Lord Keeper Egerton and became a farm. ->

-> The moated site is situated on level ground in an area of gently undulating land. The moat, which has been largely infilled, defines a rectangular island, 36m south west -north east by 42m north west -south east. Access onto the island is via a causeway that crosses the north western arm at its mid point. Material excavated from the moat was used to raise the surface of the island by about 2.5m above the level of the surrounding land. The sides of the island have been strengthened by the construction of a revetment wall of dressed sandstone blocks. Considered to date to the 14th or 15th century, this wall stands up to 2.5m high, and has been repaired in several places with uncoursed rubble and brick. It is Listed Grade II and included in the scheduling. ->

-> The timber-framed house in the south west corner of the island was also constructed in the 14th or 15th century and later remodelled in the 17th century. Its external walls sit on a sandstone block foundation, the lower courses of which are angled outwards, and define the edges of the island at this point. This building is a separate construction to the revetment wall which it abuts, although both structures would appear to have been built at the same time. The house is a Listed Building Grade II* and is not included in the scheduling. On the north west side of island, adjoining the house, and aligned with the entrance causeway, a timber-framed two-storeyed jettied gatehouse was constructed. The remains of this structure were demolished in about 1950. Opposite the house, on the northern part of the island, is an outbuilding of 17th century date, possibly incorporating some medieval stonework. It is a Listed Building Grade II. The earliest large scale Ordnance Survey map (published in 1882) indicates that much of the moat was infilled prior to that date, and the only arm to contain water was on the north eastern side. This arm, together with the south eastern arm is still waterlogged. The early Ordnance Survey map also shows that the arms of the moat were between 10m and 12m wide. The infilled arms of the moat survive as buried features and are included in the scheduling. ->

-> Moat Farm farmhouse and the associated outbuilding, the driveway and yard surfaces, all ornamental garden features, the greenhouse and the base on which it sits, all fences and modern garden walls, the oil storage tank and the concrete blocks on which it stands, the utility poles, the water trough, and the water pump house are excluded from the scheduling; the ground beneath these features is, however, included. <6>

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken in February 2014 in connection with remedial work to the north eastern revetment wall of the moated island. The original medieval wall, of fine ashlar masonry, considered to date to the 14th or 15th century, has been repaired on numerous ocassions. These repairs are distinguished by the use of rubble, sometimes incorporation pieces of ashlar. In two places, the rubble core of the medieval wall was exposed. A photographic record, and a measured sketch were undertaken, recording the different phases of wall construction. A drain and possible putlog hole (to take timber scaffolding used during the construction of the revetment wall) were recorded at the tob of the wall. <8>

Photographed in aerial survey in 2009. <9>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.