Scheduled Monument: Saffron moat at Higham Ferrers (1010663)

DESCRIPTION OF THE MONUMENT The Saffron Moat at Higham Ferrers lies 150m to the west of Chichele College. It is located on flat land in the western part of then town and originally water was supplied to the moat by a spring. The rectangular moated site covers an area measuring approximately 44m x 35m, and is surrounded by a ditch up to 2m deep and 4m wide. A raised bank on the outside of the eastern arm suggests that this may have been the location of a bridge for access to the moat island. The moat island is small, measuring about 12m x 8m, ad the centre is sunken. The lower central area is about 1,5m deep and is surrounded by a bank up to 1.0m high, suggesting that the site may have been used as a fishpond, rather than primarily as a domestic moated site. There are remains of a slight bank on the outside of the south arm which would have assisted in retaining water in the moat ditches. The moat derived its name from the fields in which it lay, once called Saffron Close. The site is considered to be associated with the nearby Chichele College, which was founded as a College of Secular Canons in the 15th century by Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury. The canons derived income by growing the crocuses from which saffron, a useful dye, is obtained. ASSESSMENT OF IMPORTANCE Around 6,000 moated sites are known in England. They consist of wide ditches often or seasonally waterfilled, partly or completely enclosing one or more islands of dry ground on which usually stood domestic or religious buildings. 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, and they exhibit a high level of diversity in their forms and sizes. The Saffron Moat at Higham Ferrers is an unusual example of a small later medieval moated site with an internal fishpond and used for horticulture rather than for domestic purposes. It lay within the land used by the canons of Chichele College for growing crocuses for manufacturing saffron. The moat lies close to the College and thus forms an important association with the 15th centrury ecclesiastical establishment.

Record last edited

Sep 6 2023 9:41AM