Monument Type(s):

• MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A good example of a Norman earthwork castle which has been shown by excavation to contain well preserved archaeological remains.

Related records: None recorded

Associated Finds

• FSA179 - VESSEL (12th century to 13th century - 1100 AD to 1299 AD)

Associated Events

• ESA209 - 1965 Excavation at Castle Bank Motte and Bailey, Woolstaston by Trevor Rowley
• ESA210 - 1976 field observation by SCC SMR
• ESA211 - 1972 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA212 - 1973 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA213 - 1984 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA214 - 1981 field observation by SCC SMR
• ESA4785 - 1992-2000 Summary Condition Survey of SAMs in the Shropshire Hills Environmentally Sensitive Area by English Heritage

Description

A section excavated in 1965 across the ditch of the motte uncovered a substantial amount of late 12th and early 13th century pottery and revealed a post-hole on the outer lip of the ditch which may have belonged to a bailey palisade. The absence of later pottery was taken to indicate abandonment of the site by the early 14th century, and this was confirmed by documentary evidence. <1a>
Full report on the 1965 excavation, in advance of the construction of a small reservoir on a position inside the rampart of the bailey. The pottery recovered spans the period 1200-1300. <1b>

This motte and bailey is as described. Construction of a reservoir near the N corner of the bailey has led to mutilation of the bailey scarp nearby. <1c>

The motte and bailey castle at Woolstaston stands on a gentle hill west of the church. The motte, nearly 30 ft in diameter across the summit, stands 10 ft above a surrounding ditch which is 2 ft deep on the NE, but has largely disappeared elsewhere. The bailey, which conforms to the shape of the hill, is defined by a 6 ft scarp. <3a>

Sited on a small hill on the W side of Woolstaston village to the W of the church. Motte and bailey whose bailey is coextensive with the top of the hill making it a very defensible position. Motte is c 9m across the top of the summit and c 2m high - being situated at the west side of the triangular shaped bailey. The S side of the bailey is defined by the deep holloway of the present road which probably represents the bailey ditch. The N side of the bailey has a second outer scarp which is probably associated with the bailey defences. The site has been encroached at several points. Firstly a small reservoir has been constructed in the N angle of the bailey....On the W side of the motte and partly cutting into it a house has been constructed (in process 1981) ..this has cut into the base of the motte. Its large garden has encroached upon the SW side of the motte and bailey <5>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of 46 Motte and Bailey Castles <9>

Scheduling revised in 1994. Scheduling description: ->

->The monument includes the earthworks of a motte and bailey castle situated on a small hill overlooking ground falling to the east. The motte is visible as a well defined mound 18m in diameter at base rising 3m to a flattened summit 9m in diameter. There is no visible trace of a surrounding ditch from which the material would have been quarried to construct the mound, though one survives as a buried feature 2m wide. The existence of this ditch was demonstrated in 1965 when a small excavation revealed a ditch with a post hole on its outer edge. Finds from this exploration indicated that the site was occupied during the 12th and 13th centuries. The roughly triangular bailey lies adjacent to the motte on its east side and is coextensive with the top of the natural hill, using the natural slopes of the hill to create a strong position. The southern side of the bailey is defined by a steep scarp slope which falls 4m to a deep hollow way which lies at its base and is occupied by the present road. Around the north side the natural slopes of the hill have been enhanced creating a steep scarp averaging 1.4m high. There is also some evidence for a counterscarp bank 0.5m high, apparently designed to strengthen the defences around this side of the enclosure. There are no visible indications of a ditch surrounding the bailey although the hollow way on its south side may follow its original line. A small underground reservoir (of unknown size), has been constructed in the north angle of the bailey, the access hatch of the reservoir and the reservoir itself are excluded from the scheduling <10>

Photographed during aerial survey in 2008-2010. <12><13><14>

Visited during a condition survey by the English Heritage Field Monument Warden, in 2000. Condition recorded as poor, with very thick and lanky gorse cover with eroded soil beneath. <15>

The motte and bailey castle at Woolstaston is clearly visible on good quality air photographs and was mapped during the Marches Uplands NMP. CUCAP W124 24-JUN-1957. <16>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.