Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Medieval moated site, fishpond and paddock boundary.

Monument Types

• FISHPOND (Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD to 2050 AD)
• MANOR HOUSE (Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD to 2050 AD)
• MOAT (Medieval to Modern - 1066 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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From the National Heritage List for England:
Coldbridge Farm moated site is one of the most complete examples of a fortified manor house in the South-East. The main part of the site includes a complete inner moat with its original causeway, a retaining bank on the north side outside the inner moat, a large fishpond and a partial circuit of outer moat. In addition there is a length of paddock boundary to the south which is associated with the use of the moated manor. Moated sites are usually seen as the prestigious residences of the Lords of the Manor. The moat marked the high status of the occupier but also served to deter casual raiders and wild animals. Coldbridge is an example of a moated site with a strongly defensive function too. Most moats were constructed between 1250 and 1350, but the example at Coldbridge is likely to have been founded in the earlier 13th century as "Colebridge Manor" is mentioned during the rein of Henry III. The fishpond within the bounds of the outer moat provided fish for the table, another sign of high status, while the paddock afforded security to the animals kept there. The outer moat was never a complete wet circuit, the land rising significantly to the south-east and the outer boundary of the moated site here being marked by a slight bank and ditch. All of the standing buildings on the site are excluded from the scheduling although the ground beneath them is included

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 excellent preservation of the monument at Coldbridge Farm allows the diversity and complexity of fortified manor sites to be appreciated. Much of the original extent of the earthworks survives and the foundations of the original "castle" buildings on the island are reported to survive in the garden of the present house. The inner moat, although scoured on the west side, remains intact to the north and south and its wetness makes the survival of evidence of the climate and economy of the manor a strong likelihood. The associated paddock boundary is a rare survivor of a common form of livestock husbandry. Beneath the earthworks the original ground surface is likely to survive, further enhancing the archaeological potential.

The site of the scheduled monument is shown outlined in black and highlighted in red on the attached "Scheduled Monument" map extract. Note The Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 map representation of this site depicts the fishpond legend in the wrong place. The fishpond is actually in the south- western corner of the monument and is not, as it is shown on the "Scheduled Monument" map extract in the south-eastern corner

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