Medieval moated site
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.
The rectangular moated site at Courtbank Covert measures externally up to 140m north west to south east by 100m south west to north east, encloses an internal area of approximately 0.5 hectares. The monument includes the earthworks and buried remains of a medieval moated site and a nearby bloomery situated within the valley of Redmoor Brook. It is listed as a Scheduled Monument because, despite some disturbance through tree and scrub growth, the moated site has experienced little modern development and therefore will contain archaeological and environmental deposits which will provide important information about the nature and use of the monument as well as medieval society, its economy and landscape in which it has been constructed. It is possibly the site of a royal hunting lodge built by Henry II in 1157-1158.
Just to the north east lie the buried remains of a medieval bloomery or iron furnace, evident by buried mounds of iron slag, cinder and black earth. These archaeological deposits relating to the process of iron smelting and will provide information on the nature and use of the medieval bloomery as well as medieval society, its economy and landscape in which it has been constructed.
Situated close by is a rock-cut well known as Nun’s Well which may be medieval in date. The possible site of a 12th century hermit priory which adopted Cistercian rule in 1141 and then moved to Stoneleigh by 1159, is thought to lie in the vicinity.
