HER 24 DESCRIPTION:-

Scheduled Monument Description:-

Defended enclosure 200m south of Stowegreen Farm and north east of Stowe.

Reasons for Designation

During the Iron Age a variety of different types of settlement were constructed and occupied in western England. At the top of the settlement hierarchy were hillforts built in prominent locations. In addition to these a group of smaller sites, known as defended settlements, were also constructed. Some of these were located on hilltops, others in less prominent positions. They are generally smaller than the hillforts, sometimes with an enclosed area of less than 1ha. The enclosing defences were of earthen construction. Univallate sites have a single bank and ditch, multivallate sites more than one. At some sites these earthen ramparts represent a second phase of defence, the first having been a timber fence or palisade. Where excavated, evidence of stone- or timber-built houses has been found within the enclosures, which, in contrast to the hillfort sites, would have been occupied by small communities, perhaps no more than a single family group. Defended settlements are a rare monument type. They were an important element of the settlement pattern, particularly in the upland areas and are integral to any study of the developing use of fortified settlements during this period.

Ringworks are medieval fortifications built and occupied from the late Anglo-Saxon period to the later 12th century. They comprised a small defended area containing buildings which was surrounded or partly surrounded by a substantial ditch and a bank surmounted by a timber palisade or, rarely, a stone wall. Occasionally a more lightly defended embanked enclosure. Ringworks acted as strongholds for military operations and in some cases as defended aristocratic or manorial settlements. They are rare nationally with only 200 recorded examples. As one of a limited number and very restricted range of Anglo-Saxon and Norman fortifications, ringworks are of particular significance to our understanding of the period.

The date of the defended enclosure 200m south of Stowegreen Farm is not known with certainty and could conceivably be of either type. It will contain archaeological and environmental evidence relating to its construction, date, longevity, social organisation, territorial significance, strategic importance, domestic arrangements and overall landscape context.

History

See Details.

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 25 September 2015. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes a defended enclosure situated on the summit of a small spur overlooking the upper valley of the Mork Brook. The enclosure survives as a roughly oval central area of approximately 0.2ha defined by a rampart bank measuring up to 3.2m high and a partially buried outer ditch on all sides except the northern where it has been cut by a later track and quarry. There appears to be an entrance to the south. The exact date of the enclosure is unknown. Some sources suggest it is an Iron Age defended settlement whilst others believe it is medieval in origin and is a small ringwork {Source Work 2873.}

Roughly circular univallate camp on small natural hill. No obvious sign of original entrance(s). A farm road has cut across the NW sector. There is a gap and gate on the south side. The bank which is under trees and stony in places is generally 4-6 feet above the interior. The 8-12 foot outer scarp is partly natural. On the south and south-east side’s the bank measures 3 feet above the interior and 10 feet above an external ditch. The interior is rough pasture a little disturbed by cattle except just north of the centre where a silage pit has been dug. {Source Work 2873.}

1608 - The field names 'Oulde Walles' and 'Castle Land' (to the north of Stowegreen Farm) are recorded here on a map of the western part of the Forest of Dean, dating from 1608. {Source Work 1.} Both may relate to the remains of Stowe Castle (SMR 24), which is located nearby. {Pers. comm. L. Butler, 11/06/2004.}

1846 - Site in 1846 described as "circular fortification" which measured 70m by 60m in area (including vallum) with a "vallum of dry stones piled to about 3.7 metres above the ground, which appears to have been excavated on the two sides adjoining the level ground and scarped on the other two sides. On one of the scarped sides it stands 7.6 metres above the ground and original entrance is there, traceable in an oblique, inclined plane leading up to an angle. Traces of foundations of 5 circular stone cots averaging 5.5 metres in diameter close to rampart, some not quite circular. Vallum 6 metres thick. The hill is being quarried, a third is already gone" in 1846. {Source Work 6541.}

1881 - The name St. Briavels seems to have been appropriated from the hamlet of St. Braivelstowe (Stowe). Here, it is said, before the days of King Offa, a British Prince Briavellus, who ruled Cantrel Coch (Silurian name for Forest of Dean) had his stronghold, still known as Castle Tump and building for himself an anchorites cell hard by, lived and died a saint. {Source Work 484.}

c.1919 - Three miles south of Coleford in St. Briavels parish are the remains of a small circular camp on Bearse Common known locally as Castle Tump. A considerable part of its circumference has been obliterated by quarrying and whatever remains of the single bank of stones and earth which forms the fortification is so covered with roughwood and gnarles trees that it might almost pass unnoticed. The area is only 35 yards in diameter and there is an entrance on the south side. The ditch outside the camp is almost leveled. {Source Work 53.}

1947 - Scott Garrett gained permission to dig in Stowe Camp. Work began on 31st July 1947.

31/07/1947 - The length of the camp from the entrance in the vallum practically due south is 54 paces (162 foot) centre of vallum to centre of vallum. Height of the vallum (from entrance level) is 7 foot. Found a pocket in the underlying chalk strata with much shaly coal at two levels 9 inches and 12 inches and some bones. Size of the pocket 3 foot x 2 foot 6inches, x 16 inches deep.

07/08/1947 - Trials at three other points in the camp area. Everywhere the coal layer was about 1 foot deep and nearly on the rock bottom. Trial holes outside the vallum beyond the fosse and in the fosse showed practically no coal (a stray chip or two) layer. Found split bone and an iron object (half of a snaffle bit).

09/08/1947 - Filled in all. Hole dug in fosse area at the back of the camp. Coal layer 1 foot down. Rock not reached at 2 foot 9 inches deep.

{Source Work 7553.}

The earthwork known locally as Castle Tump is listed as a Norman Castle by Hogg and King, although earlier described as an Iron Age camp by Playne and Witts. It occupies an area of only 25 yards diameter on the extremity of a small spur partly quarried away, and is defended by the scarping of the hill, and by a stone rampart on the 'land side', which measured up to 8 feet in height in 1908 with slight traces of ditch. {Source Work 862.}

The camp at SO56430644 has the appearance of a ring motte although the north-west side has been quarried away. The rampart is up to 3.2 metres high on the east side where the bank has been mutilated in recent times. In the west the rampart rises 2 metres above the slight remains of an outer ditch which forms part of the southern defences. An entrance in the south side is 3 metres wide and probably original. {Source Work 862.}

Masked by tree line on Fairey aerial photographs - earthwork itself is not visible. {Source Work 615.}

Described as small, univallate enclosure defended by a strong high mound, probably a Norman castle as described. {Source Work 133.}

Medieval iron snaffle-bit found. {Source Work 902.}

Small univallate earthwork enclosure. {Source Work 1859.}

The site of the castle commands a route up the Stowe valley from the Wye. It is a substantial circular rampart. Much rubble stonework is strewn around but may derive from quarrying rather than from buildings. Presumably built for the Crown soon after the Conquest, the castle may have been occupied only for a short period until the establishment of St. Briavels castle (SMR 15) on a stronger site and one more effective for controlling the Wye crossing at Bigsweir. In 1310, in the only early reference found to it, the castle at Stowe was called the 'old castle'. {Source Work 3710.}

The site of the castle lies within a field called 'Castle Field' on the rectified copy of the St. Briavels 1842 tithe map and apportionment. {Source Work 6634.}

2003 - This area was mapped at 1:10,000 scale as part of the English Heritage: Gloucestershire NMP project.

Listed by Cathcart King. This was probably the predecessor of St Briavels Castle (SO50SE2) which was built circa 1129.

The earthwork is covered by trees, but is just visible on aerial photographs. {Source Works 4249, 7549 and 6880.}