Monument record MDO5150 - Moat, Tarrant Rushton

Moat on the floodplain of the Tarrant (Type AI(b)) surrounding an approximately rectangular island measuring approximately 160 ft. by 130 ft. Probably surrounded the former Rushton manor house. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water. Features associated with the moated earthworks are visible on aerial photographs dated 1948 and on Environment Agency lidar imagery and were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM Project.

ST 937061. A moat, about 50 yds NW of the parish church, encloses an approximately rectangular island of 130 ft by 160 ft. The island is bounded on the W by the Tarrant and on the other sides by a ditch, up to 40 ft wide and 4 ft deep. On the N and S are low external and internal banks and on the S the ditch has partly gone. The island has alarge depression, 2 1/2 ft deep, near the SW corner, and two platforms at right angles to one another on the internal bank at the NE corner. The moat was formerly thought to be the site of the Medieval chapel and hospital of St Leonard but it more probably surrounded Tarrant Rushton manor house. The site of the chapel and hospital is at St Leonards Farm. <2> Rectangular moated site. <4> Features associated with the moated earthworks are visible on aerial photographs dated 1948 and on Environment Agency lidar imagery <6-7>. These comprise a bank and outer ditch extending along the north and east sides of the moat, and part of a linear bank extending westwards from St Mary's Church. An additonal section of an outer bank appears visible on the north side of the moat. The west side of the moat is defined by the River Tarrant. The features enclose an area of approximately 56m by 48m. They were digitally plotted during the Dorset Middle Stour AIM Project.

Record last edited

Jan 10 2023 4:58PM