Scheduled Monument: A medieval fortification, probably constructed in the 11th or early 12th century, which may have been replaced by the moated manor of Cheney Longville 200m to the south-west.
Ringwork castle as defined by [<1a>]. Traditionally a Civil War earthwork raised against Cheney Longvillle Castle <1b>.
It consists of a small circular area enclosed by a bank which rises 6 ft above the interior and drops 8 ft to outside ground level. There are two opposite openings on the north and south. <1c>
Motte and bailey; predecessor of Cheney Longville castle. <1d>
A medieval ringwork 47m in diameter overall, comprising and earthen bank 9m to 10m in width, and averaging 2m in height externally. There is no trace of a ditch. The bank rises above the interior, 1.3m on the S side to 2m on the N side, due to silting up on the lower southern side . The original entrance is in the N side and there is a modern break opposite, in the S side. No bailey can now be recognised <1e>
Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, High score as one of 20 Ringworks <7>
Scheduling affirmed in 1993. Scheduled Monument description: ->
-> The ringwork lies to the north-west of Cheney Longville and is situated on high ground overlooking the village. Cheney Longville ringwork comprises a ditch and bank about 1.5m high enclosing a central area about 35m across. The interior of the ringwork is slightly raised above the surrounding ground level and has some irregularities suggesting the presence of buried buildings. The outer ditch is up to 3m deep and 5m wide on the south, west and north sides but has been considerably altered by a road on the north and north-east sides and by the building of a cottage on the south-east side. There are entrances to the site through the bank on the north and south sides but these are not considered to be original. The ringwork is thought to have been constructed in the 11th or 12th century and it may have been replaced by the moated castle site which lies 150m to the south west. All outbuildings on the site are excluded from the scheduling but the ground beneath them is included. ->
Cheney Longville ringwork is essentially undisturbed and will retain archaeological evidence of both its defences and the internal structures within <6>
The site was mapped by the Marches Uplands Mapping Project in 1994. <8><9>
Visited during a condition survey by the English Heritage Field Monument Warden, in 1999. Condition recorded as poor, in an unmanaged area used informally for storage and pens. <10>
Listed by Cathcart King. <11>
The ringwork is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs and has been mapped by RCHMEs Marches Uplands Mapping Project. Vertical aerial photograph reference number: NMR OS/73068 854-5 10-APR-1973. Oblique aerial photograph reference number: NMR SO 4184/3, 5 04-MAR-1988. <12>
| [00] | SSA20722 - Card index: Shropshire County Council SMR. Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards. SMR record cards. SMR Card for PRN SA 00161. |
| [01c] | SSA178 - Volume: Page W (ed). 1908. Victoria County History Volume 1. Victoria County History of Shropshire. Vol 1. p382 with plan. |
| [01d] | SSA280 - Map annotation: Chitty Lily F. 1949 ?. Map annotation by OS Correspondent. 1:10560?. |
| [01e] | SSA31554 - Site visit report: Ordnance Survey Field Investigator. Various. NRHE: Ordnance Survey Field Investigators Comments. F1 ASP 08-JAN-73. |
| [01b] | SSA825 - Article in serial: Stackhouse-Acton F (Mrs). 1878. Article in the Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society. Trans Shropshire Archaeol Hist Soc. Ser 1, Vol I (=Vol 1). p124-125. |
| [01a] | SSA826 - Article in monograph: Alcock L & King D J C. 1969. Article in Chateau Gaillard. Chateau Gaillard 3. A J Taylor. p121. |
| [01] | SSA827 - Card index: Ordnance Survey. 1973. Ordnance Survey Record Card SO48SW15 . Ordnance Survey record cards. SO48SW15 . |
| [02] | SSA830 - Field Monument Warden Report: Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission (HBMC). 1987-Feb-27. Scheduled Monument Report on SAM 32169 (27/02/1987). |
| [03] | SSA16193 - Oblique aerial photograph: Musson Chris R. 1988-Mar-04. CPAT 88/03/0006. |
| [04] | SSA16194 - Oblique aerial photograph: Musson Chris R. 1988-Mar-04. CPAT 88/MB/0014 to 0015 (2 photos). Black and White. Medium. |
| [05] | SSA828 - Scheduled Monument notification: English Heritage. 1986. Map of Scheduled area, 1986. |
| [06] | SSA829 - Scheduled Monument notification: English Heritage. 1993. Scheduling Papers (Affirmation, 15/02/1993). 13678. |
| [07] | SSA20084 - TEXT: Horton Wendy B. 1990/ 1991. MPP Evaluation File. |
| [08] | SSA20279 - Aerial photograph transcription: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME). 1993/ 1994. Marches Uplands Mapping Project Overlays. 1:10000. SO48SW. |
| [09] | SSA22521 - Database file: National Monuments Record (NMR). 1993/ 1994. Marches Uplands Mapping Project (MUMP) MORPH records (2006 version). Marches Uplands Survey. MU.417.17 Unit 1. |
| [10] | SSA20802 - Field survey report: Leigh Judith. 2001. Scheduled Ancient Monuments in the Shropshire Hills ESA: Brief Condition Survey. |
| [11] | SSA29017 - Monograph: Cathcart King D J. 1983. Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands. Vol 2. Vol 2, p432. |
| [12] | SSA31570 - COLLECTION: Historic England. 1993-1994. NRHE: RCHME: Marches Uplands NMP. MU.417.17. |