Page 12 - Moons Moat

Redditch Heritage Moons Moat

Chapter 2 - The Origins of Moons Moat

It may be that the builder of Moons Moat sought some protection from lawless woodland
dwellers. He may have sought a reliable running water supply. Maybe he used it as a
drain or sewer, but it is possible that he sought the prestige enjoyed by the owner of
Moat House Farm, Mappleborough Green, and he may even have seen beauty in his
creation.

The sign by Arley Close says that Moons Moat was built in the 14th century. This is
probably correct, but I know of no documentary evidence to support it. The first half of
the 14th century was an age of rising population and rising prices for food. A free man
with access to money and labour could well be tempted to build a new farm and break in
new land for food production. Certainly the demand for food was such that marginal
land was brought under cultivation. Much of it was so marginal that it was not used
again even in the Napoleonic Wars or the two World Wars. A farmer setting out to work
the Moons Moat Farm in the period 1300 to 1350 could expect guaranteed profits from
the rising population.

Everything changed between 1348 and 1350. An outbreak of bubonic plague occurred
in England and indeed in most of Europe. It was called the Black Death and it killed
between a third and a half of the population. The 3 million or so of 1347 became less
that 2 million in little more than 2 years. Bordesley Abbey just down the road with a
significant number of people living close together suffered still worse and never really
recovered.

The immediate period following the Black Death saw social chaos. Lords of the Manor
died like everyone else: there was nobody to run the feudal system of agriculture. Vast
numbers of peasants died leaving farms untilled. Rents were often not collected.
Peasants previously tied to their lord and his land found nobody to enforce those ties.
The priests who might have exercised caution and control had died in greater numbers
than anyone else. Eager to free themselves from feudal restrictions and to enjoy liberty,
many peasants simply walked away from their village and sought a better life elsewhere.

It may be that the builder of Moons Moat decided to leave his traditional home to seek
his fortune elsewhere. Almost certainly nobody would come to find him. He could be his
own man. If he farmed successfully he might enjoy a rising standard of living for his
family. At first he would be producing food for himself. The Black Death had removed most
of the market, but as things returned to something like normal he could expect to find a
market for his produce in local towns and villages.

There is little evidence to support the 14th century date for Moons Moat. A rather brief
archaeological dig took place there in 1969. On the flat top of the island was found a
silver penny, which dated to the 14th century. A quantity of broken cooking pottery of
the same period was found. Since nothing earlier than this was found on the site, it is
reasonable to assume that Moons Moat was dug and occupied sometime between 1300
and 1400 - and that an early occupier was careless with his money and his crockery.

Wherever the original farmer of Moons Moat came from, he must have carefully chosen the
site for his farm. With a third or more of the population dead there must have been

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