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Moated site west of Cufaude Farm

A Scheduled Monument in Sherborne St John, Hampshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.3124 / 51°18'44"N

Longitude: -1.0704 / 1°4'13"W

OS Eastings: 464888.845401

OS Northings: 157437.302844

OS Grid: SU648574

Mapcode National: GBR B5Y.L70

Mapcode Global: VHD02.D8HS

Entry Name: Moated site west of Cufaude Farm

Scheduled Date: 25 July 1990

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1013074

English Heritage Legacy ID: 12063

County: Hampshire

Civil Parish: Sherborne St John

Traditional County: Hampshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Hampshire

Church of England Parish: Bramley St James

Church of England Diocese: Winchester

Details

The monument includes a rectangular moated site immediately to the west of
Cufaude Farm. The site survives as an earthwork orientated NNW-SSE and with
maximum external dimensions of 60m by 40m. The level island has dimensions of
48m by 35m and is surrounded by a ditch 10-15m wide and between 3 and 4m deep.
The moat is seasonally wet. Traces of a bank or spoil heap survive on the
west side of the moat, standing to a height of 4m. The estate ("Cufauds") was
held by a family of the same name from at least as early as 1167 until the mid
18th century.

MAP EXTRACT
The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract.
It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features,
considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

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 seigneurial 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 about 1250 and 1350 and by 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 of organic remains.

Although a large number of moated sites are known in England, relatively few
survive in Hampshire. This example is particularly important as it survives
well and has high potential for the recovery of archaeological remains. The
importance of the site is enhanced by the survival of documentary evidence
relating to the ownership of the site.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Books and journals
Stamper, P, Medieval Hampshire: studies in landscape history, (1983)
Other
Dennison, E and Darvill, T, HBMC Monument Class Description - Moats, 1988,

Source: Historic England

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