The moated manor house of Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire, England

A moat is deep, broad trench, usually filled with water, that surrounds a structure, installation, or town, normally to provide it with a preliminary line of defense. The Moated Manor house of Baddesley Clinton ( located just north of the historic town of Warwick in the English County of Warwickshire A trench is a type of excavation or depression in the ground Trenches are generally defined by being deeper than they are wide (as opposed to a wider Gully or Ditch Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Defence

Historic uses

Traditionally, moats were excavated around castles and fortifications as part of the defensive system, and were usually filled with water. A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. They provided a preliminary barrier outside the fortification walls against attacks upon the complex. See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors A moat made access to the walls difficult for siege weapons, such as a siege towers and battering rams, which needed to be brought up against a wall to be effective. A siege tower (or in the Middle Ages a Belfry) is a specialized Siege engine, constructed to protect assailants and ladders while approaching A battering ram is a Siege engine originating in ancient times to break open Fortification walls or doors A very important feature was that a water-filled moat made very difficult the practice of mining, that is to say digging tunnels under the fortifications in order to effect a collapse of the defenses. Mining, undermining, or sapping was a Siege method used since antiquity against a Walled city, Fortress or Castle

The word was adapted in Middle English from the French motte "mound, hillock" and was first applied to the central mound on which a fortification was erected (see Motte and bailey), and then came to be applied to the excavated ring, a "dry moat". Middle English is the name given by Historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of nA motte-and-bailey is a form of Castle. Many were built in Britain, Ireland and France in the 11th and 12th centuries favored as a relatively The term moat is also applied to natural formations reminiscent of the artificial structure.

Bodiam Castle rises from its moat

Europe

In the violent conditions of the 14th and 15th centuries in England, though defensive walling required a charter from the king, a moat round a manor house could deter all but the most determined intruders (illustration, top right). Bodiam Castle is a Quadrangular castle located near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England ( A manor house or fortified manor-house is a Country house, which has historically formed the administrative centre of a manor (see Manorialism See also Ightham Mote. Ightham Mote (pronounced "item moat" is a medieval moated Manor house close to the village of Ightham, near Sevenoaks in Kent Moated fortresses are also evident in Ferrara, the Rocca Sanvitale in Fontanelleta, and the Rocca Scaglieri in Sirmione on the shores of Lake Garda. Ferrara is a city in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. The Rocca Sanvitale or Sanvitale Castle, is a remarkable fortress residence located in the town of Fontanellato, near Parma, northern Italy.

Often streams were diverted in the Middle Ages to fill the ditch. Moats required upkeep. They had to be dredged for debris which could potentially form a traversable bridge from one side to another.

Withdrawable bridges spanned moats in the Middle Ages. A bridge is a Structure built to span a Gorge, Valley, Road, railroad track, River, Body of water At first they were only simple wooden bridges that could easily be dismantled if an enemy was about to breach the fortifications. Later Drawbridges were used for moat spans. A drawbridge is a type of Movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a Castle.

Moats sometimes had long wooden spikes in them, to prevent enemies from swimming across. The practice of stocking them with alligators, crocodiles, sharks or other dangerous animals is almost certainly a myth, however. [1]

As late as the seventeenth century, French châteaux that were not remotely fortified nor built on traditionally fortified and moated sites, pleasure houses such as Vaux-le-Vicomte, were surrounded by traditional formal moats that isolated the main corps de logis and were bridged by an axial approach. For other senses of this word see Château (disambiguation. A château (plural châteaux) is a Manor house or residence The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a classical French Chateau located in Maincy, near Melun, 55 km southeast of Paris in the Seine-et-Marne Corps de logis is the architectural term which refers to the principal block of a large usually classical, Castle, Mansion or Palace

Asia

Map of the Japanese Imperial Palace and surrounding Gardens showing the elaborate moat system

Japanese castles often have very elaborate moats, sometimes with many moats laid out in concentric circles around the castle and a host of different patterns engineered around the landscape. is the imperial main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in Chiyoda Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains various buildings were Fortresses composed primarily of wood and stone They evolved from the wooden stockades of earlier centuries and came into their most well-known form in the 16th century Japanese castles will have up to three of these concentric moats. The outer moat typically protects other support buildings in addition to the castle.

As many Japanese Castles have historically been a very central part of their respective city, the moats have respectivially provided a vital waterway to the city. Even in modern times, the moat system of the Japanese Imperial Palace comprises a very active body of water, hosting everything from rental boats and fishing ponds to restaurants. is the imperial main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in Chiyoda Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains various buildings ^[1].

Most modern Japanese castles have moats filled with water, but castles in the Middle Ages more commonly had 'dry moats' (karahori, 空堀), essentially a trench. Even today, it is common for mountain castles to have dry moats.

Moats were also used in East Asia in the Forbidden City and Xi'an in China and Kokyo Imperial Palace in Japan; in Vellore in India and in Southeast Asia, such as at Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Chiang Mai in Thailand. The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial Palace from the mid- Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. UserEl_C --> Xi'an ( Postal map spelling: Sian is the Capital of the Shaanxi province in the is the imperial main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in Chiyoda Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains various buildings Vellore ( Tamil: வேலூர் pronounced Veluur) is a city and headquarters of Vellore district in the Indian state of Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) (អង្គរវត្ត is a Temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for King Suryavarman II The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Chiang Mai (in Thai; locally (Kham Muang Jiang Mai also sometimes written as "Chiengmai" is the largest and most culturally significant The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj

The Forbidden City, in Beijing, is surrounded by a large moat, 52m broad and 6m deep, ensuring a vast open space in front of the walls. The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial Palace from the mid- Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty.

America

While moats are commonly associated with European castles, they were also developed by North American Indians of the Mississippian culture as the outer defense of some fortified villages. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States The Mississippian culture was a mound-building Native American culture that flourished in what is now the Midwestern, Eastern, and Southeastern The remains of a 16th-century moat are still visible at the Parkin Archeological State Park in eastern Arkansas. Parkin Archeological State Park, also known as Parkin Indian Mound, is an Archaeological site and state park in Parkin, Arkansas. Arkansas ( is a state located in the southern region of the United States.

Photo gallery

Château de Chambord is surrounded by water on 2 sides	Matsumoto Castle, a Japanese Castle in Nagano Prefecture	Caerlaverock Castle, a 13th century castle on the English / Scottish border	The Forbidden City: North-western angle
Angkor Vat seen from helicopter

Modern uses

Moats are no longer a significant tool of warfare; however, in some cases a moat may still serve as a line of defense from other threats, as well as a number of other creative uses. The royal Château de Chambord at Chambord, Loir-et-Cher, France is one of the most recognizable Châteaux in the world because of its very MatsumotoCastleGateMoatjpg|thumb|right|200px|Taiko-mon Gate]] also known as Fukashi Castle is a flatland castle and one of Japan 's historic castles. WikipediaWikiProject Japanese prefectures for guidelines --> is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū Caerlaverock Castle is a 13th-century triangular Moated Castle in the Caerlaverock National Nature Reserve area at the Solway Firth, south of The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial Palace from the mid- Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. Angkor Wat (or Angkor Vat) (អង្គរវត្ត is a Temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for King Suryavarman II A moat wide and deep enough can prove an obstacle to armoured fighting vehicles. An armoured fighting vehicle ( AFV) is a military Vehicle, protected by armour and armed with Weapons Most AFVs are equipped for driving in rugged

Installation security

The Catawba Nuclear Station, for instance, has been constructing a concrete moat around some of the plant (other sides of the plant are bordering a lake). The Catawba Nuclear Station is a Nuclear power plant located on a 391 acre (1 The moat is a part of industry wide added precautions after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Related individuals have made a point to claim that the moat is not connected to the new MOX fuel that the plant will be receiving. Mixed oxide, or MOX fuel, is a blend of oxides of Plutonium and Natural uranium, Reprocessed uranium, or Depleted uranium which behaves ^[2]

"The concrete moat under construction at the station south of Charlotte has little to do with the utility's plans to start burning mixed-oxide fuel containing small amounts of weapons-grade plutonium next spring. Designed to prevent everything from passenger cars to military tanks from getting too close to the reactor, the moat is part of a post-Sept 11, 2001 security upgrade"[2]

Animal containment

Moats rather than fences separate animals from spectators in many modern zoo installations. A zoological garden, shortened to zoo, is an institution in which living animals are exhibited in captivity Moats were first used in this way by Carl Hagenbeck at his Tierpark. Carl Hagenbeck ( June 10, 1844 - April 14, 1913) was a merchant of Wild animals who supplied many European Zoos as well The Tierpark Hagenbeck is a Zoo in Stellingen, in Hamburg, Germany. ^[3] The structure, with a vertical outer retaining wall rising directly from the moat, is an extended usage of the ha-ha of English landscape gardening.

National defense

In 2004 plans were suggested for a two-mile moat across the southern border of the Gaza Strip to prevent tunnelling from Egyptian territory to the border town of Rafah ^[4]. The Gaza Strip (قطاع غزة, רצועת עזה Retzu'at 'Azza) is a coastal strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, bordering Egypt on the south-west

Migration control

In 2008, city officials in Yuma, Arizona planned to dig out a two-mile stretch of a 180-hectare (440-acre) wetland known as Hunters Hole, to control immigrants coming from Mexico. ^[5]

See also

• Drawbridge
• Turret
• Moot hill sometimes written as Moat Hill. A drawbridge is a type of Movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a Castle. In Architecture, a turret (from Italian: torretta, little tower Latin: turris, tower is a small Tower that A Moot hill is a hill or mound historically used as a meeting place

References

1. ^ "Imperial Palace moats illegally occupied by businesses", Japan Today, August 25, 2006.  
2. ^ "Nuclear Power Plants to Continue MOX Program", Nuclear Threat Initiative, October 13, 2004.  
3. ^ Rene S. Ebersole. "The New Zoo", Audubon Magazine, National Audubon Society. The National Audubon Society is an American non-profit Environmental organization dedicated to conservancy Retrieved on 2007-12-18. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the  
4. ^ "Two-mile Gaza moat to foil tunnels to Egypt", The Guardian, June 18, 2004.  
5. ^ "US city plans moat to keep out migrants", The Guardian, March 14, 2008.