Littywood Moat

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Motte Ringwork), and also as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are earthwork remains

NameLittywood Moat
Alternative NamesLittywood House; Litty Wood
Historic CountryStaffordshire
Modern AuthorityStaffordshire
1974 AuthorityStaffordshire
Civil ParishBradley

Littywood moated site, the only moated site in Staffordshire with two concentric, circular moats. It includes a central platform upon which stands Littywood House. Surrounding the platform is a dry inner moat up to 40m wide and 3m deep which is separated from the outer moat by a flat-topped bank up to 22m wide. The outer moat remains waterlogged on its eastern side but is dry on the west. Two connecting channels linking the moats have been cut through the bank on its western side. An outer bank up to 13m wide flanks the outer moat on its south-west and western sides. Access to the house is by a causeway on the north-east side. Littywood was the manorial house of the Baron of Stafford prior to passing through the Caverswall, Willoughby and Greville families. In c.1502 the manor was leased to John Stapledon whose family later claimed they had been tenants since the 12th or 13th centuries. The house was originally two timber-framed buildings still largely preserved, converted into the present house which has a later brick shell. (Scheduling Report)

Gatehouse Comments

May be an altered low motte with ditch in middle of circular bailey. Surname de la Motte associated with site in 1175. Moat 200m diameter. Isolated from settlement but possibly associated with deer park recorded in 1281. Moats surrounding a manor house built circa 1400 and extended in the late C16 and late C18/early C19. A massive cruck truss survives at the western end of the former open hall.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ889190
Latitude52.7686386108398
Longitude-2.16564011573792
Eastings388920
Northings319010
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 1997, Castles and Moated Mansions of Staffordshire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 33
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 229
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 453
  • Pevsner, N., 1974, Buildings of England: Staffordshire (London, Penguin) p. 76
  • Midgley, L.M. 1958, in Midgley, L.M. (ed), VCH Staffordshire Vol. 4 p. 74 (plan of hall)(air photo in frontispiece)
  • Lynam, Charles, 1908, 'Ancient Earthworks' in Page, Wm. (ed), VCH Staffordshire Vol. 1 p. 358-9 (plan - homestead moat) online copy

Journals

  • Simpson, J.H., 1956-9, Transactions of the Old Stafford Society p. 40-43