Monument Type(s):

• MOTTE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• PROSPECT MOUND (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1901 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: Though somewhat disturbed, this is still a good example of a Norman motte (earthwork castle), which is also of interest because of its incorporation into successive post medieval landscape garden as a viewing mound.

Related records: None recorded

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA1009 - 1968 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA1010 - 1970 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA1011 - 1983 field observation by English Heritage

Description

The mound at SJ5811 3631 is probably ornamental. it is 3.4m high, constructed of earth, and carries a spiral path on a terrace to its summit. Not firm enough nor large enough to be a castle mound and too well preserved, is too steep sided, to be a barrow. OS FI 1973 <1>

Mound at Sandford Hall listed but not visited. <1a>
Whitfield suggests that it is probably a Jacobean garden mound as there is still a summerhouse on top <1b>

An extremely small mound close to the stream which forms a large lake(SA 2850) on its western side and supplies a series of ponds on its north, close to Sandford Hall. <2a>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of 43 Motte castles <4>

Scheduling affirmed in 2001. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a motte castle, later used as a prospect mound, constructed on level ground and occupying a commanding position in an area of gently undulating land. It lies within the grounds of Sandford Hall, built in late 18th century, which replaced a timber-framed mansion nearby. Sixty metres to the east of the mound is Sandford Pool, a mill pond, which in the medieval period served as a fishpond. As there is no direct relationship between the pond and the castle, the pond is not included in the scheduling. ->

-> The steep-sided circular earthen motte measures approximately 25m in diameter at its base, about 7m across the top, and stands to a height of 5.7m. The size of the motte indicates it was only large enough to support a small structure such as a watch tower. Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch, from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument, surrounds the mound. This has become infilled over the years and survives as a buried feature approximately 5m wide. ->

-> The motte is shown on an estate map of about 1775, planted with trees or bushes, and was used as a prospect mound, a garden feature on which a summer house may have been .constructed. The motte was probably first used in this way when the gardens associated with the timber-framed mansion were originally laid out. A spiral path, partly cutting into the side of the motte, provides access to the summit. ->

-> In 1920 a circular concrete-built reservoir, 3m in diameter, was built into the top of the motte. It supplied drinking water to the nearby hall, while a small pond at the base of the mound to the south was used as an overflow. All fences and the reservoir and the overflow pond, which are now both redundant, are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included. <5>

Photographed during aerial survey in 2009. <6>

A Medieval fishpond, still water filled, lies to the west of the mound. The road from Newport to Whitchurch was diverted sometime after 1335 by Richard de Sandford in order to enlarge the pond.<7>

The mound at SJ 58113631 is probably ornamental. It is 3.4m high, constructed of earth, and carries a spiral path on a terrace to its summit. The mound is neither firm enough nor large enough to be a castle mound (but is scheduled as a Castle Mound), and appears too well preserved (ie too steep sided) to be a barrow. <8>

The earthen mound at Sandford Hall measures 20.0m in diameter at the base, 3.4m in height, and has a spiral path to the summit which is only 4.0m across. The ground rises gradually to the east; to the west the mound overlooks a short slope down to Sandford Pool, and to the north there is a similar slope down to a chain of ponds (all water-filled). To the south the ground is level to Sandford Hall, beyond which it falls away into the valley of the Bailey Brook.
The summit of the mound now supports a circular concrete structure, possibly a water tank, dated 1920. 20.0m to the south of the mound there is an hexagonal brick dove cote extensively restored in 1930, but which, like the mound, is shown on a plan of circa 1775 (see sketch copy) (<9a>).
At this period the mound was contained within the garden of a house, of which no traces are now visible apart from a level area covered by nettles. This house lay within 10.0m of the mound on its west side.
Although the mound has a superficial resemblance to a borders motte it is very small and the siting seems to have little strategic significance. The absence of a ditch suggests that the material was brought from elsewhere (? one of the fishponds to the north, on the site of the house to the west), the terraced path to the summit has the appearance of an original feature, and the summit is very small. Whitfield (5) notes a summerhouse on top, and this probably explains the purpose of the mound. There is a well-known 17th century example in the garden of Boscobel House some 25 miles to the south-east.
Published survey (1:2500) correct. <9>

Sources

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