Record Details

Summary

The scheduled remains of a ringwork castle which was the home of the Biddulph family until they moved to their new house (Biddulph Hall), just north-west of this site, in the 16th century.

Monument Type(s):

• RINGWORK (MEDIEVAL - 1066 AD to 1485 AD)

Associated Events:

• EST263 - A site visit by the Inspector of Ancient Monuments (1968).
• EST62 - The excavation of two areas on the ringwork castle at Bailey's Wood, Biddulph, 1966. (NRHE Name - Bailey's Wood Castle)

Protected Status:

• Scheduled Monument 1014690: Ringwork castle in Bailey's Wood

Full description

RINGWORK. ROUGHLY CIRCULAR ENCLOSURE WITH INTERNAL DIAMETER OF CIRCA 30M. DEFENDED ON S AND W BY A BANK AND DITCH. THE BANK RISES CIRCA 3M ABOVE THE DITCH. ON THE N AND E THE GROUND FALLS OFF STEEPLY TO A STREAM. PART OF THE INTERIOR HAS BEEN STRIPPED AND FENCED OFF REVEALING A TRACE OF SINGLE STONES AT A DEPTH OF 0.22M. C13-C16 POTTERY AND TRACES OF TIMBER BUILDINGS FOUND. <1>

THIS IS PROBABLY THE ORIGINAL HOME OF THE BIDDULPHS, PLACED AT THE WRONG NGR ON OS CARD. ENTRANCE WITH CAUSEWAY ACROSS DITCH IN CENTRE OF W SIDE. <2>

A small, D-shaped earthwork situated in a strongly defensive position at the eastern end of a prominent ridge with the ground falling away steeply to the north, east and south. The earthwork is strongest across the neck of the ridge where it comprises a rampart, ditch and possible counterscarp. Elsewhere it has been mutilated, especially on the north and south, resulting in the disappearance of the rampart and ditch. There is a well defined entrance with causeway across the ditch in the centre of the western side (A. Clarke, 1958). The site is of probable medieval date, and is possibly the former (dry) moated residence of the Biddulphs. (SB, 05-Apr-2004) <4> <6>

The earthwork and buried remains of a ringwork castle, located in a strategic position at the eastern end of a prominent ridge of land, with the ground falling away steeply to the Biddulph Brook to the north, east and south. The castle is thought to have originally belonged to the de Vernon family of Alton, but later became the property of the Biddulph family. In the 16th century the family moved to a new house 0.85 kilometres to the north-east, and the ringwork is believed to have been abandoned at this time. The defensive earthworks enclose a central area of approximately 0.14 hectares, and includes a rampart with a bank, external ditch and traces of a counterscarp bank along the eastern and southern sides of the site. It is thought that the natural steepness of the slope made the construction of a ditch and counterscarp on the northern side of the site unnecessary, although there is no evidence for a counterscarp on the along the south-western side either. The internal bank survives as a low earthwork for much of its circuit, except across the neck of the ridge on the western side of the castle where it stands to a height of 2 metres above the interior. In 1967 an excavation through a section of the rampart indicated that the defences were strengthened by the addition of a further layer of clay to the rampart in the 12th century. Traces of a timber palisade along the top of the inner bank, were also located. The ditch averages 9 metres in width and is up to 3 metres deep. Access to the interior is via a 3 metres wide causeway across the north-western defences and this is thought to be the original entrance to the site. The interior is almost oval in plan. No internal earthworks are visible, but an excavation within the eastern part of the interior recovered evidence for the occupation of the ringwork castle including traces of timber structures with substantial post-holes which were replaced in the 13th century by a building with stone foundations. Large quantities of 13th, 14th and 15th century pottery and bronze and iron objects were located within the interior of this structure. The lack of 16th century artefacts and evidence of occupation beyond this date confirms that the site was abandoned during the 16th century. The ringwork castle survives well and represents a good example of this class of monument. Part excavation has indicated that the interior retains structural and artefactual evidence for the buildings which originally existed here and the naturally silted ditches should retain archaeological deposits relating to the economy of these inhabitants and the environment in which they lived. The importance of the ringwork is enhanced by its association with the Biddulph family, who abandoned the site in the 16th century for a new house located 0.85 kilometres to the north-west (see Primary Record Number 00069). (SB, 05-Apr-2004) <5>

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