Last fragment of the Medieval Moat

This feature is stop 3 on the Bromley Town Centre Park Trail, here.

The original moat of the Bishops Palace – the homes of important people, such as Bishops, needed moats in the lawless years of the 1100s ‘Anarchy’ – survives in this fragment. Unfortunately, 30 years of neglect and recent tree-falls are in danger of finally letting this last part silt up.

Moats became fishponds in the medieval era, as fish were an important part of the diet. As such they would need draining and the silt removing every few years, (for water quality). This activity in 1754 lead to the discovery of St Blaise’s well.

The Moat, with genuine medieval masonry discovered at the bottom (see the Lord of the Manor’s Folly) was just the accessory to show off the house and gardens. When Charles Coles-Child Esq commissioned James Pulham & Sons to create a garden suitable for his new status in life, natural looking lakes had been in vogue for over 100 years.

The Medieval calendar was made up of days when various saints were remembered. Many of these days involved repentence and fasting, rather than being a feast day. Also, faith-abiding households would not eat meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. In total it is thought that this would be about 150 days a year when meat could not be consumed. Instead, if any meat was eaten on these days, it would be fish (or animals/birds that could be classed as fish, on occasions this was quite creative).

To return to the page for the Bromley Palace Park, click here.