Monument Type(s):

• FISHPOND (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• MOATED SITE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A good example of a medieval moated site, with an associated fishpond.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA1440 - 1961 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA1441 - 1973 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA1442 - 1981 field observation by Shropshire County Council

Description

Oblong moat, with an entrance in the long north-western side, in Petton Park. (A bronze spearhead was found in the moat in 1825, see PRN 00844. <1a>

Surveyed at 1:2500. <1b>

No change. Other banks to the N of the fish pond appear to be later landscaping. <1c>

Moated site situated on flat level ground at the base of a hill slope which rises from the SW side of the moat. The moat is square in shape and is generally well preserved except at the SW corner where the moat ditch has been mutilated by widening- probably for gravel extraction. The moat island is flat and level and has no trace of any building foundations, it measures c 35m square and is slightly raised above the surrounding ground level. The surrounding moat ditch is waterfilled and averages 10m in width except at the SW corner where it is much wider as a result of mutilation. A modern brick bridge crosses the NW arm. Along the NE arm is a substantial outer retaining bank c 5m wide and 1.3m high. Perhaps the most impressive feature of the site is the extensive and well preserved fishponds and associated earthworks. There is a series of large fishponds and lake features abutting directly onto the N&E sides of the moat. That joining onto the N arm of the moat is best preserved and is a large, now dry, fishpond, rectangular in shape and measuring c 90 x 30m and up to 1.8m deep at its E end. It is breached at the NE and SE corners and has a substantial retaining bank along its E end. Joining to this at its E end are two more large now dry former ponds-these are defined by scarps and are divided from each other by a bank c 1m high. The largest of all these pond features joins onto the NE arm of the moat. It is more like a small lake than a pond as it measures c150m x 50m and is rectangular, and now dry-its N side is defined by a bank c 1.5m high and c 2m wide, surmounted by a hedgeline, the S side has a similar bank which narrows to just a scarp at its W end. Another large rectangular pond-like depression is joined onto its SE corner, again defined by a bank. Running into the NW corner of the moat is a well preserved probable feeder leat. This is now dry and is c 0.5m deep and 1.5m wide, it appears to have collected water from the hill slope which it runs down and to have fed this into the moat. Other extensive earthworks of uncertain character, including hollow ways and possible platforms lie in the N half of the large field on the N side of the moat. Ether remains of a deserted settlement (see PRN 01278), or the result of C18/C19 landscaping. Ridge and furrow running E/W lies in the field to the E (looks like W on plan) of the moat on top of the adjacent hill. M Watson FI 1981 <3>

See PRN 00844 for bronze spearhead found in the moat in 1825 <6>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1: High score as one of 133 Moated sites; Low score as one of 91 Irregular Open Field Systems; Medium score as one of 52 Fishponds <7>

Scheduled in 1999. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a medieval moated site situated on level ground at the base of a slope which rises to the west of the site. Approximately 300m south west of the moated site is a bowl barrow which is the subject of a separate scheduling. ->

-> The arms of the moat, which retain water, are between 10m and l4m wide. A l2m wide extension to the south western arm is the result of later quarrying, and is therefore not included in the scheduling. The moat defines a square island approximately 36m across. Material excavated from the moat was used to raise the surface of the island by about 0.5m above the level of the surrounding ground. Additional material was also deposited outside the moat, parallel to the north western ditch, to form a bank 9m wide and 0.8m high. A later bridge, 2.7m across, formed by two arches, and built of hand-made bricks, crosses the north eastern moat ditch at its mid-point. ->

-> Ponds and other embanked features were constructed in the area to the north and east of the moated site. These have been extensively damaged by modern agricultural practices and are not included in the scheduling. ->

-> All modern field boundaries are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included. <8>

Photographed by Chris Musson from the air in 1996. <9>

Photographed during aerial survey in 2009. <10>

SJ 443265: Moated site at Petton complete with adjoining fishpond. Investigated by SMR. <11>

An examination of air photographs taken in 1995 (NMR SJ 4426/5-6) show the moat to be still extant and water-filled but quite heavily vegetated with trees and scrub. The fish pond appears to have been totally plough- levelled. <12>

Sources

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