Scheduled Ancient Monument: MOAT FARM MOATED SITE (21296)

The monument includes a moated site located on level ground 100m west of a minor tributary of the River Deben which marks the boundary between the parishes of Cretingham and Brandeston. It survives as a sub-rectangular island measuring 70m north-south by 55m east-west, surrounded by a water-filled moat averaging 10m in width and approximately 1.5m in depth except in the north east corner, where there is a sump 3m deep. Access to the island is provided by a causeway 5m wide across the northern arm. The southern and eastern arms of the moat and the eastern part of the northern arm were originally up to 20m, 16m and 15m wide respectively, but have become narrowed as a result of infilling with silt, clay and topsoil on the inner side. The original inner edge is clearly visible as a break 0.4m - 0.6m high in the ground surface, and the infill is partly waterlogged. The western arm is interrupted by a causeway which is not original, and its southern half, which has also been narrowed by the filling of the inner edge, is connected to a field drain. A projection of the eastern arm measuring 8m in width (reduced from an original 15m) extends approximately 30m southwards from the south eastern angle of the moat. Both this and the north eastern angle are connected by ditches to the adjacent stream. Along the outer edges of the eastern arm and around the north western angle are slight, irregular banks approximately 1m wide. Moat Farm house, which is listed Grade II is timber-framed and plastered and has the date 1602 carved on the gable-end tie-beam, stands in the middle of the island. The house and outbuildings are excluded from the scheduling, as are a shed to the west of the causeway, a greenhouse within the moated area, all paved surfaces and the driveway, a concrete covered tank to the west of the house and also a service pole to the north east of the house and all fencing but the ground beneath all these buildings and features is included.