HER 322 DESCRIPTION:- Scheduled Monument Description:- Not Available The castle at South Cerney is identified by Bazeley and Kennen with that recorded as being built by Milo FitzWalter and captured by King Stephen in 1139, although the earthworks at Ashton Keynes(OS:SU09SW8) are suggested by Renn as an alternative site for this eveNT. Excavations at S Cerney by Rev Kennen 1935-6 revealed a square well, masonry, roofing tiles, 16th-17th century pottery and farthings of Charles 1. 12th century pottery later found on site. {Source Work 862.} The location of these excavations is not clear so this event will remain with the monument information {AM 21/10/2014.} The 1935-6 excavations are equivalent to [HE Event 633723] {Source Work 4249.} The earthworks are well preserved under pasture, though they are by no means easy to interpret There is no motte as such. {Source Work 470.} 1991 - A site visit was made to the garden of "Little Orchard" to the SE of the scheduled area in response to a planning application to extend the house. The main area to be extended currently the gravel drive in front of the house and an area of flat lawn behind. A small extension was to be made at the western part of the house towards the monument No earthworks thought likely to be associated with the monument were visible in the garden of the house. There was a marked slope down along the property's NW boundary in form of a terrace c1m high and c2m wide. This appeared to be the result of landscaping assoc. with the construction of the house. The ground surface, which sloped generally down to the SE was fairly irregular in the western part of the garden. There was no obvious earthworks here and the site had been used as an orchard prior to the construction of the house and therefore the amorphous bumps need not have an archaeologically significant origin. (PRN 8737 quoted on HER Amendment sheet but not located.) Heritage at Risk Register 2015 Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Animal burrowing - extensive {Source Work 13737.} 2016 - SMC S00143646 approved for the erection of a stock fence {Source Work 10426.} Heritage at Risk Register 2016 Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Animal burrowing - extensive {Source Work 14393.} Heritage at Risk Register 2017 Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Animal burrowing - extensive {Source Work 14868.} 2017 - An archaeological evaluation was undertaken on land at South Cerney Castle by Rubicon Heritage Services Ltd between 10th and 21st July 2017. . A total of four evaluation trenches and five test pits were excavated as well as three hand auger transects and a geoarchaeological assessment. Trenching within the Scheduled area of the site identified an extensive rubble spread and associated artefactual material suggesting the presence nearby of a high status building dating to the later medieval or early post-medieval period. One trench contained the buried remains of two former ponds, one previously unknown, which were apparently part of a complex of ponds constructed in the later medieval/early post-medieval period and probably associated with the building identified. A single sherd of Late Saxon pottery and one Saxo-Norman sherd were recovered, as well as part of medieval leather shoe of 13th century date {Source Work 14975.} Heritage at Risk Register 2018 Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Animal burrowing - extensive {Source Work 15524.} 2019 - Works to pond northeast of South Cerney Castle, Silver street, South Cerney. See (HER 50960) {Source Work 16265.} Heritage at Risk Register 2019 Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Animal burrowing - extensive {Source Work 16466.} "(SU 047976) Castle (NR) (Site of). (1) The castle at South Cerney is identified by Bazeley and Kennen with that recorded as being built by Milo FitzWalter and captured by King Stephen in 1139, although the earthworks at Ashton Keynes (SU 09 SW 8) are suggested by Renn as an alternative site for this event. Excavations at South Cerney (at 'A' SU 04729763) by Rev F Kennen in 1935-6 revealed a square well, masonry, roofing tiles, glazed tiles, 16-17th century pottery and farthings of Charles I. Twelfth century pottery was later found on the site. (2-5) See annotated 1:2500 survey. (6) This was an adulterine castle. (7)" {Source Work 4249.} Heritage at Risk Register 2020 Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Animal burrowing - extensive {Source Work 17056.} Heritage at Risk Register 2021 Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Animal burrowing - extensive {Source Work 17405.} Heritage at Risk Register 2022 Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Animal burrowing - extensive {Source Work 17931.} Heritage at Risk Register 2023 Generally unsatisfactory with major localised problems. Animal burrowing - extensive {Source Work 18159.} |