Monument Type(s):

• GARDEN (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1901 AD)
• PARK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A rare survival of medieval and post medieval garden earthworks associated with Holdgate Castle, overlying earlier settlement remains.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA3476 - 1986 survey of formal garden remains at Holdgate by the NMR

Description

Since the Conquest period an important castle and the caput of a fee, a free-standing stone tower house (today part of Hall Farm PRN 11391) was built at Holdgate in the late 13th or 14th century. That castle had a garden, mentioned in 1292 and 1315 (V.C.H. Shropshire 10 ). R.C.M.E.(E.) suggests that earthworks surveyed below (south-east of) the castle may represent a formal garden (Survey and report, antiquity no. SO 58 NE 2). In 1428 the castle had two parks. The site of one at least may be perpetuated by the field names Great, and Little, Parks (together 16 a.) which lay immediately east of the castle in 1842 (V.C.H. Shropshire 10). <1>

The earthworks were surveyed by the RCHME in 1986. They recorded that the garden earthworks lie adjacent to and partly entangled with the earthwork settlement remains (PRN 02588). They are probably associated with the early phases at Hall Farm (PRN 11391). It is the rectangular and symmetrical layout of the earthworks that suggest their origins as gardens. An analytical description is included of the earthworks. <2><3>

The RCHME described the postulated garden earthworks as adjacent to and partly entangled with the earthwork settlement remains, PRN 02588. In 1995 the scheduled area of Holdgate Castle (PRN 00183) was extended south of the road to include the garden earthworks. The relevant part of the scheduling description reads as follows. To the south east of the motte and bailey complex, occupying ground falling to the south east, is a complex of earthworks forming a series of rectangular enclosures. They are believed to represent the remains of formal gardens associated with the later phases of the castle complex. The enclosures are bounded by strong cross-slope scarps up to lm high with down-slope banks arranged at right angles to the scarps. At least four distinct rectangular plots with an average internal area of approximately 0.7ha can be recognised. To the south west of the enclosures lies a pond which appears to be associated with the earthworks. A well defined north west to south east orientated hollow way, up to 1.5m deep, marks the south western extent of the garden earthworks. <4>

Photographed during aerial photographic survey in 2009. <7>

Sources

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