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Summary

Remains of a defended manor house comprising a D-shaped walled courtyard 23m by 25m internally, containing a small attached and a large freestanding building.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 15176: UPTON CASTLE, 500M SSW OF UPTON BARTON FARM

Other References/Statuses

• National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 1103.62
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 1042
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SX27NW 32

Monument Type(s):

• CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• MANOR (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

Site overlooked on north, south and west sides. North of site is a natural gully 5.0m deep and 80m wide - to the south is level ground. John Upton of Upton, mentioned in 1140 possibly resided here (b1, b2). It is said that part of the site was reused by the priory and convent of St Stephen, Launceston, as a monk's cell. Woodland covers the site on OS 1813 map. Victorian investigators 1) Rodd: "scarcely have been a fortification..." 2) Malan: "an antiquarian enigma".
Quinnell, Preston Jones, and Rose all suggest site is that of a defended manor house rather than a true castle. Scheduled in 1940 (h1). Schedule revised December 1992. Quinnell surveyed and described site for RCHME in 1983 (h4, h5, b2). Site comprises: D-shaped walled courtyard 23m by 25m internally, containing a small attached and a large freestanding building (?hall). Granite and killas walling - no dressed stonework. Clay "and earth" mortar. Walling up to 1.0m high and between 1.0m and 2.0m thick. Wall 1.5m high visible externally - base obscured by tumble. Surface indication of a ditch on east and west sides, 3.0m wide and 0.3m deep. The north-east corner has an angular protrusion internally 6.0m by 3.5m, interpreted as an angle tower. The freestanding building measures 13m by 8.0m internally, walls 1.2m to 1.5m thick, and up to 1.3m high. North and south walls may have opposed entrances. The small building to the south abuts the courtyard wall, and measures 6.0m by 3.5m. Two gaps could be original, one in the north-west, the other to the east (b2). The site was digitally plotted during the Cornwall NMP.
3 year management plan from 12/02/2010-12/02/2013 has been agreed.

<1> Latham, B, 1971, Trebartha: the House by the Stream, 30, 35 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3827.

<2> QUINNELL, NV, 1983, FIELD SURVEY REPORT, SX27NW 35 (Unedited Source). SCO8706.

<3> PATTISON & ROAD, 1872, UNKNOWN TITLE, VOL 4, 73-74 (Unedited Source). SCO6291.

<4> Malan, AH, 1886, Notes on the Neighbourhood of Brown Willy, VOL 9, 344-345 (Article in Journal). SCO5190.

<5> Peter, OB, 1902, Ancient Earth-Fenced Town and Village Sites of Cornwall, VOL 15, 14 (Article in Journal). SCO5138.

<6> Page, W (Editor), 1906, Victoria History of the County of Cornwall, VOL 1, 466 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4068.

<7> Preston-Jones, A & Rose, PG, 1986, Medieval Cornwall, VOL 25 (Article in Journal). SCO4188.

<8> Upton, W H, 1893, Upton Family Records: Being Genealogical Collections for an Upton Family History, 120 (Bibliographic reference). SCO25318.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Related records: none recorded

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