Monument Type(s):

• MOTTE AND BAILEY (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• BOWLING GREEN (18th century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A well preserved and well documented Norman motte and bailey castle believed to have been built in the late 11th century by the marcher lord Roger de Montgomery.

Related records: None recorded

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA5020 - 1997 WB on pipe laying at Ellesmere Castle by SCCAS
• ESA5023 - 1998 WB on rebuilding of collapsed retaining wall along Sandy Lane near Ellesmere Castle by SCCAS
• ESA5106 - 1997 condition survey and archaeological management plan for Ellesmere Castle bailey
• ESA973 - 1973 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA974 - 1982 field observation by Shropshire County Council
• ESA975 - 1987 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA976 - 1987 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA6812 - 2005 Preliminary DBA of the Mere, Ellesmere by Lloyd Evans Prichard
• ESA7234 - 2014 DBA and walkover survey adjacent to canal, SW of Ellesmere, Shropshire by Castlering Archaeology

Description

Motte and bailey utilising a glacial moraine, the motte having a base diameter of 80m and height of 11m. Summit 50m in diameter used as bowling green. The motte ditch on the SE is 20m wide and up to 3.5m deep. Bailey roughly crescent shaped 20-30m wide bounded by a ditch and outer bank. The ditch, where best preserved, is 15m wide, 1m deep, the bank 13m wide and 1.5m in height. The bank is carried beyond the bailey around the motte's NE side. The southern side of the bailey quarried, and outer line on east side also broken by quarry. Features to NW, thought to be an outer bailey by [<2>] are all modern and C19 landscaping <1>

The castle is as described by source [<1>] <3>

Low oval motte in quadrilateral bailey. Mentioned in 1138 (Ordericus Vitalis XIII cap 37), when it became a royal castle. £4 spent on it in 1171-1172, and frequent references in 1203-1208 pipe rolls. <5b>

The L shaped bailey at first appears small in comparison to the motte, being only 20-30m wide, but this appearance is probably due to its southern portion having been quarried away. The bailey is defended by a ditch of massive proportions, particularly on the E side where it is cut into a natural slope thus creating a ditch 5m deep on its inner side and up to 15m wide. It also has a substantial outer bank….. There are not traces of any building platforms or other features within the bailey. At its junction with the SE segment of the motte ditch the bailey has been mutilated by having up to 2.5m of its original level removed, thus creating a stepped effect ..Overall, apart from the S portion of the bailey, the site is well preserved and in good condition. M Watson. FI 1982 <6>

Correspondence, consultation responses and SMCs 1975-1991 relating to bowling green, arboretum and visitor centre. <19><20><21><22><23><24><25><26><27><28><29><30>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of 46 Motte and Bailey castles <31>

Repairs were undertaken c1203-1204. "Castle Works" undertaken in 1242. Repairs also noted in 1257, when a Kings House within the castle was repaired. In 1274 it is noted that timber to be used in the castle was appropriated. The castle was still maintained in 1309. <32>

CMHTS Comment: The extent of this castle is hard to determine but it probably extended to the south of Sandy Lane. The high ground to the West of the motte including the church may have been included in an outer bailey. Sandy Road may run in part of a defensive ditch. <33>

CMHTS Report. <34>

Watching brief carried out in 1997 by SCCAS on ground disturbance works for the laying of a soil pipe from the Bowling Club at the top of the motte to the car park below as a requirement of Scheduled Monument consent. 4 shreds of medieval pottery were collected from the side of the motte together with finds dating to the 19th century. No significant archaeological features or deposits were encountered. <35>

Watching brief carried out in 1998 by SCCAS on rebuilding and repairs of a wall that had collapsed into the road near Ellesmere Castle. The spine, scapular and pelvis of a skeleton of a large animal, probably a sheep of calf, were revealed at road level within the excavations. No other significant archaeological features or deposits were disturbed during the repairs. <36>

The Management Plan is a working document which contains a description of the monument and also provides an interpretation, the current land use and monument’s condition, measures to ensure the monuments survival including programmes of remedial work and proposals for improvements to the monuments. Implementation of these management plans will involve liaison with other sections of the environment department, as well as outside bodies such as English Heritage. The earthwork remains of Ellesmere Castle consist of a motte with a bailey to the south east; the castle occupies a commanding position at the south eastern edge of the town, overlooking the mere. The date of its construction is not known but its building has been ascribed to Roger de Montgomery who became the head of the marcher lordship. If this association is correct, it was built shortly after 1086. Military activity continued until the 13th century and possibly into the 14th century, although a documentary source of mid 16th century date indicates that no recognisable remains of the castle existed at this date. The strategic importance of the castle is reflected in its large size, especially the motte and by the dimensions of its earthworks, although the bailey is relatively small in comparison to the size of the motte. The monument was first scheduled in 1953. <37>

Scheduling revised in 2000. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a motte and bailey castle, on the south eastern outskirts of Ellesmere near to St Mary's Church which dates from the 12th century. The castle is thought to have been constructed by Roger de Montgomery, the head of a marcher lordship, soon after 1086. In 1101, following a rebellion by Roger's son and heir, Robert de Bellesme, the castle and its lands were confiscated by the Crown. In 1138 Henry I granted the manor of Ellesmere, including the castle, to William Peverel of Dover. After the civil war Henry II confirmed the manor on Dafydd ab Owain, a north Welsh prince, when he married his sister Emma in 1174. During the early to middle part of the 13th century the manor of Ellesmere passed in and out of royal control and throughout much of that century there are numerous accounts of building or repair works to the castle. In 1263 the manor, castle and hundred of Ellesmere were granted to Hamo le Strange and continued to be held by the le Strange family until they passed by descent to the Stanleys, the Earls of Derby. It is not known when the castle was abandoned, but it is apparent from Leland's description of the site that by the mid-16th century little if anything remained visible of the former castle buildings. By the early 18th century the top of the motte had been levelled in order to form a bowling green. ->

-> The castle occupies a glacial mound that forms part of a pronounced north west -south east ridge. From this location there are extensive views of the surrounding area. The flat-topped roughly circular motte has been created by cutting into and artificially enhancing the slope of the sides of the mound and dumping the excavated material on top. It is approximately 80m in diameter at its base, 52m across the top and stands about 11m high. A steep-sided ditch, about 20m wide and 3m deep, separates the motte from the bailey to the south east. This ditch continues around the base of the motte to the north east, but has been largely infilled and is now apparent as a shallow depression. The ditch surrounding the southern part of the motte has been completely infilled, but survives as a buried feature and is included in the scheduling. ->

-> The sub-rectangular bailey is situated on the eastern end of the prominence. It consists of a terrace, approximately 34m by 70m (maximum dimensions), and is bounded on its northern and eastern sides by a ditch that cuts into the steeply sloping ground and by a counters carp bank. A causeway crosses the northern part of the eastern defences and provides access to this enclosure. The curving scarp which defines the southern side of the bailey is largely the result of later quarrying for sand and gravel. Slightly raised and levelled areas within the bailey are believed to be remains of platforms on which buildings were originally constructed. ->

-> Earthworks to the north west of the motte were once thought to be the remains of a second bailey. Later work has deemed that they are the result of 19th and 20th century landscaping associated with the vicarage. Terraces created to the north of the motte are also modern. None of these modern landscaping features are included in the scheduling. ->

-> A number of features are excluded from the scheduling, these are; the bowling green, the club house and the wooden shelters around the green, the floodlights, the electricity poles, the flag pole, all fences, gate posts, stiles and handrails, driveways, paths, paved areas and associated steps, and modern walls; the ground beneath all these features is, however, included. <38>

The unusual shape and small size of the bailey make it unlikely that this was the main castle bailey. This probably occupied the ridge top to the west of the motte. The possibility that the surviving bailey earthworks are pre-Norman in origin should not be discounted. <39><41>

Noted; ownership given as private and SCC. Refers to <41> for more detailed discussion. Identified as an important site for archaeological interpretation. <42>

The L-shaped bailey to the east of the motte is particularly evident on LiDAR imagery. <43>

The strategic importance of the castle is reflected in its size and position overlooking the Mere. The Mere would have been an important fishery in medieval times. By 1138 the castle was in royal hands, eventually passing to the Le Strange family in the 1240s. The medieval town was recorded as Ellesmeles in the Domesday Survey of 1086; Ellesmera in 1172 and, by 1200, Ellesmere, meaning Eli’s lake. Eyton, the 19th century historian, recorded that in 1258 Peter de Montfort was empowered to levy customs for five years to enable him to wall the town of Ellesmere. It has been suggested that the town stood within an outer bailey to the west of the Church, however it is not known where the defences were situated or even if they were ever built. ->

-> The castle subsequently fell out of use and passed through several ownerships until, in the early 17th century, it was inherited by Thomas Egerton, the founder of the Bridgewater Estates, which came to own a substantial amount of property in the town and the surrounding parish. <44>

Additional references noted by the NRHE. <45>
Motte and bailey castle constructed by Roger de Montgomery who strengthened a natural mound, used a lesser one at its foot to form the church bailey, and beyond that formed a borough in an outer bailey. On the southern side a ditch separates the mound from a curiously-shaped base court. There are no remains of the keep, and the top of the mound is now a bowling green.
It became a royal castle c 1138. Crawford Collection Ellesmere Castle (not numbered,not dated). <45>

Motte and bailey, utilising a natural glacial moraine, the motte having a base diameter of 80.0m and a height of 11.0m. The summit, 50.0m in diameter, is occupied by a bowling green.
The motte ditch, separating motte from bailey, is 20.0m in width and up to 3.5m in depth. The bailey, roughly crescent shaped, is 20.0 to 30.0m in width, and encircles the motte for 90.0m on the SE side. It is bounded by a ditch and outer bank, the ditch, where best preserved, being 15.0m in width, and 1.0m in depth, the bank, 13.0m in width and 1.5m in height. The bank is carried beyond the bailey, around the NE side of the motte. The southern side of the bailey has been quarried into and a small quarry breaks the line of the outer bank on the E side, but otherwise the motte and bailey are in fair condition.
No evidence for 'church' and 'outer bailey' to the NW was found, all extant earthworks being 19th c landscaping of the natural mound, within private gardens. Published 1:2500 survey revised. <45a>

Listed by Cathcart King. <45b>

The lordship of Ellesmere was granted to William Peverel of Dover by Henry I, but in 1154 Henry II withheld the castle from Peverel's heirs. It remained in Royal hands until 1267, when it was granted to Hamon le Strange as a reward for his services to the King in the Baron's Wars. It remained a le Strange possesion until the 15th century. <45c>

Sources

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