Scheduled Ancient Monument: MOATED SITE AT FAIRSTEAD FARM (33305)

The monument includes a medieval moated site at Fairstead Farm, approximately 750m to the south east of Cowlinge parish church. The moated site includes a quadrangular island, measuring up to 94m north west to south east by 68m north east to south west. The island is surrounded by a partially water-filled moat measuring a maximum of 12m wide and up to 3m deep. A small section of an inner bank, not more than 10m long and 4m wide, is sited towards the south eastern end of the south western side of the island. An outer bank along the north east side of the moat measures approximately 5m wide and is thought to have been constructed with material dug from the moat. A leat extends northwards for 10m from the north western corner of the moat and a sluice across the leat controls the flow of water in and out of the moat. Both the leat and sluice are included in the scheduling. A causeway across the south west arm of the moat and a two-arched brick bridge across the north arm are known to have been in use before 1846 and are believed to represent the original access to the island. The causeway and the brick bridge are both included in the scheduling. The western corner of the island is revetted with modern brick. Immediately to the north of the causeway a stable block and a brick outhouse abut the outer edge of the moat and concrete revetting extends between these two buildings. The north west side of the island is occupied by Fairstead Farm, a Listed Building Grade II dating to the 18th century or earlier. Fairstead Farm is believed to have been named after a fair, granted at Cowlinge in 1225. A rectangular open field on the west side of Fairstead Farm is marked on Hodskinson's 1783 Map of Suffolk as `Fairstead' and recorded in 1846 as `Fair Green and Cow house hostery'. Fairstead Farmhouse and its cellar, the garage, the stables and brick outhouse on the outer edge of the south west arm of the moat and the interconnecting revetting, all outhouses and sheds, the modern brick superstructure on the bridge, other modern brick revetting, modern walls, fences, gates, together with all modern man-made surfaces are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath all these features is included.