Monument Type(s):

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

Summary

Scheduled Monument: A good example of a Norman motte and bailey castle.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA1143 - 1970 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA1144 - 1971 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA1145 - 1977 field observation by Shropshire County Council
• ESA1146 - 1983 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA4785 - 1992-2000 Summary Condition Survey of SAMs in the Shropshire Hills Environmentally Sensitive Area by English Heritage

Description

A motte with two rectangular baileys lies close to Wilderley Hall farm <1a>
The motte stands 17ft high and lies entirely outside the first bailey which has a rampart on all sides except the south. The second bailey lies at a lower level and is defended by a bank with an 8ft scarp on the east. A ditch, continuous with that round the motte, runs along the north side of both baileys <1b>
A circular motte standing to the south west of two baileys surrounded, except to the south, by an almost dry ditch. It stands some 5m above the ditch and measures some 16m across the flat top. The ditch is 1.8m deep. The two baileys are almost ploughed out but the first one is represented by a scarp slope on the south side and a vague ragged scarp on the north side. Enough remains to be able to see that the overall size of this bailey was approx 0.42 ha. The second adjoining bailey is marked by a scarp on all sides except the south; it covered approx 0.24 ha. No traces of possible DMV. OS FI 1971 <1>

Basically as described by the OS [<1>]. The motte is tree covered and difficult of access. The two baileys are set on east facing slope in pasture. To the north of these baileys the ground slopes away to N and a slight irregular terrace can be seen running SE/NW <2>

Aerial photographs show that the motte is obscured by trees. Traces of the baileys are visible as slight earthworks and have been mapped by RCHME's Marches Uplands Mapping Project. <3>

Scheduling revised in 1996. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the remains of a motte and bailey castle situated on the end of a shallow spur overlooking ground falling to the east. It includes a well defined castle mound, or motte, circular in plan with a base diameter of 26m and up to 5m high with a flat summit 16m in diameter. There is a surrounding ditch approximately 6m wide and up to 1.8m deep, from which material would have been quarried for the construction of the mound. This remains visible as an earthwork around all but the south east side where it will survive as a buried feature. ->

-> A bailey, which would have contained the domestic buildings associated with the castle, lies to the immediate north east of the motte and has overall dimensions of 110m north east to south west by 80m transversely. It is stepped to form two enclosures which run downhill from the motte. Although the area containing the enclosures has been ploughed in the past, the bailey earthworks remain well defined. The western enclosure, which has an internal area of approximately 0.42ha, is bounded around its south side by a strong scarp slope with an average height of 2m. Around the north side of the enclosure the earthworks can be recognised a low spread scarp averaging 1.5m high. The east side of this inner enclosure is formed by a scarp averaging 1m high, which cuts roughly north west to south east, stepping the natural slope to form the contiguous west side of the lower enclosure. Below this the northern scarp curves around to the south to form the north eastern side of this outer enclosure before fading out into the alignment of a hedgebank, the modern boundary of the farm garden. Around the south east quarter the scarp can no longer be recognised on the surface but will survive as a buried feature. The internal area of the lower enclosure is estimated at 0.24ha. ->

-> All modern hedges and fences within the area of the scheduling are excluded, although the ground beneath is included <6>

Visited during a condition survey by the English Heritage Field Monument Warden, in 2000. Condition recorded as satisfactory overall; bailey under pasture in good condition. Motte is thickly wooded and quite unmanaged though relatively stable. <9>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, Medium score as one of 46 Motte and Bailey castles. <10>

Sources

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