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Monument Types

• HILLFORT (IRON AGE - 800 BC to 42 AD)
• CASTLE (LATE 11TH CENTURY AD to 16TH CENTURY AD - 1066 AD to 1544 AD)
• MANORIAL CHAPEL (MEDIEVAL - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• CHANTRY CHAPEL (14TH CENTURY AD to 16TH CENTURY AD - 1308 AD to 1564 AD)

Associated Events

• Survey in 1995, Elmley Castle, Elmley Castle (Ref: WSM29826)

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument
• SHINE

Full description

Situation is one of greater isolation and greater height than was usual in erection of castle.... plan is elaborate and complex, obviously represents more than one period of fortification. Nothing remains of masonry save few half buried foundations, earthworks appear practically unaltered. First castle raised by Robert de Despenser, apparently a simple kite shaped enclosure of 2.5 acres. Modified by several additions, no signs that it had motte, though it contains several irregular mounds that suggest presence of towers. Attached to nucleus, on south west is large outer bailey of over 5 acres [1]

Very extensive earthworks, perhaps originally an Iron Age Hillfort, occupying a prominent spur of Bredon Hill. Area about 6.9 hectares. No motte, large inner bailey commanding north slope, strong ditch and bank, considerable remains of stone walling and cover turrets to north and south. Rough excavation revealed free standing buildings and maybe small keep towards north angle of bailey, vast outer bailey has well preserved ditch and bank, but perhaps without masonry wall for most of its length, further defences to east and west of main circuit. [2]

Supposedly built by Robert le Despenser, principal seat of Beauchamps from early 13th century. Some documents for 1321, taken into Kings hands, taken by rebels, gates and some of house burned. 1413 and 1425 repairs made and 1480 and 1492. 1528: Walter Walshe constable - still habitable?. 1544: survey of castle: was 'completely uncovered in decay'
Leland (1535-43) "there standith now but one tower and that partly broken. As I went by I saw carts carienge stone thens to amond Pershore Bridge"[3][4][15]

In 1308 Guy de Beauchamp founded a chantry in the chapel at the castle of 8 chaplains and four clerks. It was endowed with £20 from the manor of Childs Wickham. By 1311 the rectory of Elmley had been added but it was still insufficient so the chantry was reduced by one chaplain and two clerks. In 1463 Richard Nevill, Earl of Warwick obtained licence to grant land to the value of 20 Marks to the warden of the chantry towards an additional chaplain and george, Duke of Clarence also gave it the manor and advowson of Naunton Beauchamp. In 1536 the chantry was valued as the Rectory of Elmley at £55 13s 3d. It was surrendered in 1545 and its possessions granted to Sir Phillip Holby. The wardens mansion house was given to Sir Ralph Sadler but he surrendered it in 1547. The chantry and manor was granted to Anthony Daston in 1564. Since 1616 it has followed the descent of the manor with which it seems to have been incorporated. The deer park in which the castle stands was possibly made c. 1234.[4]

On ground and aerial photographs, sharp cut southern and central works contrast with more eroded rampart on north and east, this suggests the south rampart may be a Norman recutting of original Iron Age earthwork, while outer Northern rampart was left in its original form as serving no purpose in Norman plan. [5]

Air Photos by Arnold Baker, J. Baird and other aerial photos. [6][7][8][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]

The Norman castle of Elmley is supposed to have been erected by Robert le Dispenser, and until 1396 was the chief seat of the Beauchamp family. It seems to have been habitable until 1528, but in 1544 was roofless and in a state of decay. [9]

A few fragments still remain, and in Leland's time at least one tower was extant, but at that time stone was already being carted away for reparations to Pershore Bridge. [10]

Survey undertaken in 1995.[11]

Fieldwork undertaken by Mick Aston and James Bond. Iron Age hillfort, of two phases, underlies medieval castle earthworks.[12][13][17]

Note on pottery found.[14]

Monument dates based on dates in this text.[16]

The Historic England Scheduling for this monument was was the subject of a minor enhancement on 20 May 2015. This monument includes the remains of a medieval ringwork and bailey located within two Iron Age hillforts at the top of a prominent spur on the northern slopes of Bredon Hill. The monument survives as the visible earthworks and buried features of two hillforts, a ringwork, a bailey and a fishpond. The top of the hill is circumvented by two large hillforts that are defined by large earthwork banks up to 8m wide with external quarry ditches. An entrance gap is situated on the eastern side and an inturned entrance gap on the west. On the southern, western and northern sides, the banks and ditches have been modified during the medieval period. An elliptical ringwork is located on the central and southern part of the castle site and is up to 180m long and 118m wide defined by a large bank up to 13m wide with an external quarry ditch. Entrance gaps are located on the eastern and western sides and building platforms are situated in the centre. A sub rectangular bailey approximately 245m long and 150m wide was constructed to the south west of the ringwork. The bailey enclosure is defined by the foundations of a stone wall with turrets to the north and the south. Excavations inside the bailey have revealed stone foundations of several buildings, including a sub circular keep situated at the northern angle of the bailey. To the south of the bailey is a sub rectangular fishpond cut into the escarpment of the hill. It is approximately 60m long and 45m wide with a small dam and leat at the western end. The ringwork was constructed by Robert Despenser about 1080 and the bailey was added between 1130 and 1140. In 1317 Hugh le Despenser was ordered to fortify the castle and to garrison it with twenty footmen. In 1321 Elmley Castle was taken by rebel barons under Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, and suffered considerable damage. A chapel was recorded at the castle in 1308. Further archaeological remains survive on Bredon Hill, but are not currently protected because they have not been formally assessed. Despite partial levelling, excavation and afforestation, Elmley Castle survives comparatively well. Elmley Castle is a good example of a multiphased defensive site and has accurate historical records and documented remodelling that greatly enhance the importance of the monument. [31]

A possible excavation was undertaken in 1959 with finds held at Birmingham City Museum and Art Gallery. (University of Birmingham Historic Journal 10/1965/88-9) [32]

1932 Hereford & Worcestershire County Council Record Office (excavation?) archive ref: BANDR 899:38 BA 3996. No published references. (Archive unchecked). [33]

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 9th April 2019 licensed under the Open Government Licence: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/.[32] [33][34]

SO 979402] Castle of Elmley [N.R.] (Earthworks)[O.S. 6" 1954.] [34]

The Norman Castle of Elmley is supposed to have been erected by Robert le Despenser, and until 1396 was the chief seat of the Beauchamp family. It seems to have been habitable until 1528, but in 1544 was roofless and in a state of decay.[ Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Index for vols 1-78; 79-90; 91-100, 6, 50 - 1928][34]

A few fragments still remain, and in Leland's time at least one tower was extant, but at that time stone was already being carted away for reparations to Pershore Bridge.[ Worcs. (The Little Guides) 1952.72. (F.T.S.Houghton & Matley Moore)][34]

The deer-park in which the castle stands was possibly made c.1234.[ The Victoria history of the county of Worcester: volume three, 1913, edited by William Page and J W Willis-Bund 340, 1913(O.M. Moger & A. Wragge)][34]

The castle's situation (at 600ft. O.D.) is at a greater height than was usual, but there are no signs that it had a motte. Two well defined entrances of the E. and W. belong probably to the original work. The complex plan represents more than one period of fortification.[ The Victoria history of the county of Worcester: volume four 1924, edited by William Page and J W Willis-Bund 432, 1924 (D.H. Montgomerie)][34]

Although only a castle is recorded, the work in fact appears to be composite, comprising a Norman mound and bailey superimposed on the central and southern parts of an Iron Age contour fort. The siting, on an isolated hill, is typically Iron Age, and both on the ground and on air-photographs the sharp-cut central and southern works contrast clearly with the more eroded rampart on the north and east; this suggests that the whole of the southern rampart may be Norman recutting of original Iron Age work, while the outer northern rampart was left in its original form as serving no purposes in the Norman plan. Centred at SO 9795 4026 some minor excavations have revealed part of the castle building, probably the keep; and there is scattered building debris within the motte area and remains of building foundations within the bailey. Published survey (25") revised. Field work suggests that Elmley Castle is a complex of two successive Iron Age hillforts, the outer one with an inturned entrance; a Norman ring-work, probably added by Robert Despencer about 1080; and a bailey to the SW added about 1130-1140, being an adaptation of the Iron Age earthwork. Foundations of a stone keep within the ring-work remain, and south of the bailey is a single small square fishpond. A Medieval college or large chantry was founded in the castle at Elmley Castle by Guy de Beauchamp, in 1308 for eight chaplains and four clerks. It may have later become a small chantry at the parish church as the castle became ruinous in the early 16th century. It was dissolved in 1545. [Field Investigators Comments, F1 JB 22-NOV-67, APs OS 67.003, 065-6 (March 1967). Council for British Archaeology Group 8: West Midlands Research Committees reports 25-Jun 13 – 1970 (J Bond & M Aston). Medieval religious houses in England and Wales 1971 by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 414,425, 1971 (D Knowles & R N Hadcock)][34]

SO 979 403: Elmley Castle. Scheduled. [Eng Heritage SAMs Here & Worc][34]

SO 979 402: Elmley Castle. The hillfort and castle are as described by auth 1-8. 1:2500 depiction correct. [Field Investigators Comments : F2 WDC 09-OCT-8].[34]

Listed by Cathcart King. [Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands, 1983 David J Cathcart King, 507, 2][34]

The National Record of the Historic Environment entry for this record also referenced the following event: 1183055 Measured Survey ELMLEY CASTLE. [34]

Worcestershire County Museum Archaeology Reference card indicated an excavation of the keep and curtain wall was undertaken between 1932-1933 according to the reports of the congress of archaeological societties for 1932-1933. A report was never published but the reference card indicates that a plan of the keep is in the Sands Collection at the Society of Antiquaries in London. [35]

Sources and further reading

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