Medieval Moated Site 400m N of Undy Church

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of a well-preserved medieval moated homestead. It consists of a rectangular enclosure measuring 20m by 30m surrounded by a ditch and a counterscarp bank. The ditch is up to 7m wide and 1m deep, and the counterscarp bank 8m wide and 0.5m high. On the SE side there is a shallow external ditch, 2.5m wide. A ditch extends NW from the N corner of the site towards the modern road. Excavations carried out in advance of development in the area around the monument revealed that the defences surrounding were of two distinct phases. In the earliest phase a wall and trackway were built to the NW of the moated enclosure, with an entrance into the enclosure area. In the later phase the wall and trackway were replaced by an external ditch extending around the NE and SE sides of the moated site and enclosing a large rectangular area to the N and W - the ditch extending NW from the moat forms part of this enclosure. Immediately to the NW of the moat was another ditch with a causeway across. These developments suggest that there was an increased need for defence on the site in the later phase of occupation. No dating evidence was found during the excavations, however the site is likely to be 13th century in date and possibly associated with the manor owner by Roger de St Maur (later Seymour).

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval settlement. The monument is well preserved and is an important relic of the medieval landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of intact archaeological deposits and structural evidence.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.