Topics > Historical Periods > Middle Ages (1154 to 1485 AD) > Moated Sites

Moated Sites


There are around 6,000 known Medieval moated sites in England. The greatest concentration are in Central and Eastern parts of the country, but there are relatively few in the North of England.[1]

The peak period during which moated sites were built was between 1250 and 1350 AD. 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. Most of these sites served as prestigious aristocratic residences with the moat being a status symbol, rather than a military defence. Today, they are significant archaeological sites, which inform our understanding of the distribution of wealth and status in the Medieval feudal society.

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Middle Ages (1154 to 1485 AD) Summerhouse moated site Archdeacon Newton Medieval Settlement Claxton medieval moated site Medieval moated site, Kirkoswald Low Dinsdale Manor House Wardley Medieval Moated Site
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Wardley Medieval Moated Site
- There are earthwork remains at Wardley, Gateshead, of a medieval moated site and associated rig and furrow cultivation. This is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, though little of the remains can …
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Summerhouse moated site
- In medieval times there was a defended manor house in Summerhouse. It had a moat, drawing water from Sumerhouse Beck, which was located to the south of the village green.[1] …
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Low Dinsdale Manor House
- Note: Map data from Historic England c/o Open Data UK, under the Open Government Licence, imported into Google MyMaps, March 2026. The medieval manorial site at Low Dinsdale was the …
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Archdeacon Newton Medieval Settlement
- Note: Scheduled Monument area - map data from Historic England c/o Open Data UK, under the Open Government Licence, imported into Google MyMaps, March 2026. Archdeacon Newton is the site …
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Claxton medieval moated site
- Note: Scheduled Monument area - map data from Historic England c/o Open Data UK, under the Open Government Licence, imported into Google MyMaps, March 2026. The Claxton medieval moated site …
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Medieval moated site, Kirkoswald
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