Not All Moats Surrounded Castles
England once had thousands of moated homes
When we think of moats we tend to imagine castles with towering walls, a drawbridge and a wide defensive moat generally filled with water. Some defensive moats were dry but usually with steep sides and deep when water was not present.
I was surprised recently to find out how many known moats there are in England. Far more than the number of castles ever built. Over 5300 moats are recorded. In the main, these were not built as defensive structures from attack by marauders. The moats surrounded more modest homes than the grand castles we associate with them.
I was looking at an old map (c1850) of Westbury, a market town in Wiltshire, close to where I live. On the map, I spotted a moat which intrigued me. It got me thinking and, of course, I wanted to know more, and if the moat was still there. To check I opened Google Maps to look at the aerial view of the area. To be sure, there was the outline of the moat which you can see in the centre of the photo below.
Wiltshire has 37 moats that have been discovered and several more within a few miles of this one. Archaeologists have been at work on the moats, and, this one, identified as the Penleigh, has evidence that this was a double moat. The outer moat was revetted (banked with masonry). Inside the ditches, the area known as the platform contained a substantial building and at one end a circular structure. The circular structure could possibly have been a dovecote to provide food for the occupants.
Why did people build moated houses?
The period for building these moated properties was between the 12th and 14th centuries. The peak period of construction was the early part of the 14th. This raises the question: Why were moats popular if they were not built for defensive reasons?
The moat above was in an area which at the time was heavily forested. This would have meant many wild animals, particularly deer an animal known to like the taste of freshly grown vegetables. Wild boar too were prevalent in medieval England and these creatures can churn up a garden in minutes. Having a moat around the property would protect the garden from such attacks.
Other reasons for a moat would include flood protection. The spoil from digging the moat meant that the home and garden were now raised above the natural level of the surrounding land. In the case of Penleigh moat, there is a brook flowing approximately one hundred metres to the west. Although, today, the land and drainage are well-managed it could have been in the 14th century a very different story and the area flooded more easily.
One more benefit for the enterprising moat owner was the ability to keep carp or other edible fish in the water. Medieval England used to have many carp ponds in villages and monasteries. Tench, perch and chub were also fish consumed by those living inland. Getting fresh fish supplies from the coast was not an option in those days.
Many of the moats in my area are on private land, but one day, I will explore some of those I can access or obtain permission where required. I will let you know when I do!
The county with the most moats is Essex 547
The county with the least moats is Northumberland 1
Northumberland actually has 19 moated sites, they just weren't identified until later