Eastfield Syke

Description

Eastfield Sike medieval moated site, associated fishpond and medieval woodland boundary banks and ditches at Burtergill Wood and Kiln Hill survive reasonably well. The moat and fishpond are good examples of these classes of monument and the moated platform contains buried remains of the medieval structures which occupied it. Additionally the monument is a rare survival in Cumbria of the juxtaposition of a moated site and medieval wood bank.
The monument includes the earthworks and buried remains of Eastfield Sike medieval moated site, an associated fishpond, and adjacent medieval woodbanks and ditches at Burtergill Wood and Kiln Hill. It lies on the fringe of open moorland which gradually rises northwards before joining the limestone scars of Warcop Fell. It includes a moated platform measuring approximately 26.5m by 10m upon which there are a number of low earthworks, indicating the survival of buried remains of timber buildings, together with a slight stony bank interpreted as the remains of a small enclosure. Surrounding the platform is a flat-bottomed ditch approximately 9m wide by 1m deep which is dry on all sides except the north where a small stream flows through the north east corner of the moat before exiting through a break in the west ditch. Remains of an inlet channel which originally supplied water to the moat survive on the eastern side. There is an outer bank 2.5m wide by 0.4m high on the moat's north side. An associated fishpond measuring approximately 13.5m by 12.5m and surrounded on all sides except the south by an outer bank lies on the western side of the moat. To the north west of the moat lies Burtergill Wood which is enclosed by a relatively well-preserved wood bank consisting of an earthen bank up to 6.4m wide by 1.1m high and an external ditch with maximum dimensions of 5.5m wide by 2m deep. To the south of the moat the bank and ditch continue and define a piece of land on the western side of Kiln Hill which, although now largely treeless, is shown on 19th century maps as being a continuation of Burtergill Wood. Although no documentary evidence has yet been forthcoming to confirm the date of the monument, the date range for the construction of moated sites generally lies between the 12th and 15th centuries. Moated sites and wood banks are commonly associated and Eastfield Sike moated site is interpreted as the location of a woodward's cottage constructed by the Warcop family, lords of the manor of Warcop. (Scheduling Report)

A moat (FCE: NY 7655 1619) and its adjoining fishpond are situated at the SE tip of Burtergill Wood which lies inside the live firing range of the Warcop Army Training Area. These earthworks were surveyed in September 1994 by RCHME.
Both the moat and the fishpond are now dry except for a brook which runs through the north ditch of the moat. The moat platform measures 26.5m E-W and 9.8m N-S, between the crests of the scarps and is between 0.9m and 1.1m in height.
There are a number of low earthworks on the surface of the platform, the most prominent of which are four rectangular building platforms at the W end of the moat, defined by banks containing some stone but not more than 0.2m high. A separate building platform in the NE corner is 3.9m by 2.2m, within scarps up to 0.5m wide.
Around the perimeter of the E half of the platform is a slightly stony bank between 1.8m and 2.4m wide and 0.2m wide.
The ditches of the moat are all wide and flat-bottomed; they are an average of 8.5m wide and are between 0.9m and 1.1m deep. There is no evidence of a causeway. The south ditch has been partly cut into the base of the natural slope. A stream follows the course of the N ditch, entering at the NE corner and exiting through a break in the W ditch.
The fishpond is also set against the hill so that its S side is formed by the natural slope. Between the crests of the scarps it measures 13.5m by 12.4m and is 1.25m deep maximum. There are no visible channels bringing water and it therefore seems likely that the pond relied on seepage. A detailed description of the moat and pond is included in the NMR archive (Amy Lax/03-NOV-1994/RCHME: Burtergill Wood Survey). (PastScape)

Comments

Moated site are relatively rare in Westmorland. A woodward's house (managing the fishponds and woodlands) for Warcop manor.