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HER Number:	23092
Name:	BOSSINEY - Medieval motte and bailey, Medieval castle

Summary

The remains of a motte and bailey castle at Bossiney.

Grid Reference:	SX 0656 8875
Parish:	Tintagel, North Cornwall, Cornwall
Map:	Show location on Streetmap

Protected Status

Scheduled Monument CO83: Bossiney camp (castle mound)

Other References/Statuses

National Mapping Programme (Morph No.): 1064.41
OS No. (OS Quarter-sheet and OS No.): SX08NE 11
Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 23092
SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SX08NE 29

Monument Type(s):

CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Full description

The remains of a Motte and Bailey castle survive at Bossiney. In 1086 the site belonged to Robert of Mortain (b5). In 1852 it was described as a circular bank and ditch enclosing a raised area with another area enclosed by a west outwork with rounded corners (b2). The remains visible today consist of a sub-cIrcular ringwork, and the bailey is no longer visible (the OS suggest that it may never have existed, as the nineteenth century plan (b1) is very inaccurate (h1)). The ringwork is up to 46m across and encloses a slightly raised area 16m by 14m with an entrance gap on the east side. The north side of the rampart is especially strong, being up to 6m high externally with a ditch 20m wide and 1m deep. No ditch survives on the east or south sides, but landscaping may have obliterated it (h1). The Motte is Scheduled, though the Bailey is not. The outside of the mound is covered by undergrowth, though the interior is clear (h3). The Motte and Bailey is visible on aerial photographs (p1) and was plotted during the Cornwall NMP.

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Site history:
1: 1976. MJF / OS
2: 1980. PAS / DOE
3: 1982. PAS / DOE
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<1> UNKNOWN, 1850, UNKNOWN TITLE, 32-40, 19 (Unedited Source). SCO6052.

NMR, 1979, SX0688/1/16-18 (Photographic Record). SCO16664.

<2> Maclean, J, 1876, A Parochial and Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor, VOL 3, 215 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3895.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1880s, 1st Edition 1:2500 Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4048.

<4> Pounds, N, 1937, The Medieval Castle in Cornwall, VOL 104, 29 (Article in Serial). SCO4152.

<5> DOE, Listed Building Description (original DOE), 9 (Bibliographic reference). SCO5173.

<6> King, DJ & Alcock, L, 1969, Chateau Gaillard, 3, 112 (Bibliographic reference). SCO3785.

<7> Sheppard, PA, 1980, The Historic Towns of Cornwall, 69 (Cornwall Event Report). SCO4422.

Sources / Further Reading

[p1]	SCO16664 - Photographic Record: NMR. 1979. SX0688/1/16-18. ABP.
[1]	SCO6052 - Unedited Source: UNKNOWN. 1850. UNKNOWN TITLE. RRIC. 32-40, 19.
[2]	SCO3895 - Bibliographic reference: Maclean, J. 1876. A Parochial and Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor. VOL 3, 215.
[3]	SCO4048 - Cartographic materials: Ordnance Survey. 1880s. 1st Edition 1:2500 Map.
[4]	SCO4152 - Article in Serial: Pounds, N. 1937. The Medieval Castle in Cornwall. Annual report of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society. 104. VOL 104, 29.
[5]	SCO5173 - Bibliographic reference: DOE. Listed Building Description (original DOE). Listing "Greenbacks". 9.
[6]	SCO3785 - Bibliographic reference: King, DJ & Alcock, L. 1969. Chateau Gaillard. 3, 112.
[7]	SCO4422 - Cornwall Event Report: Sheppard, PA. 1980. The Historic Towns of Cornwall. 69.

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

ECO1090 - Bossiney Castle Bailey

Related records: none recorded

Associated Images

CAS AR 2016 003.jpg
© Check with HER for copyright

CAS AR 2016 004.jpg
© Check with HER for copyright

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