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Shropshire HER

HER Number (PRN):03347
Name:Motte castle 510m east of Broadward Hall (Broadward Tumulus)
Type of Record:Monument
Protected Status:Scheduled Monument 1019007: Motte castle

Monument Type(s):

  • MOTTE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: Despite some disturbance, this is still a good example of a Norman motte (earthwork mound) castle, and is one of several situated close to crossing points of the River Clun.

Parish:Clungunford, South Shropshire, Shropshire
Map Sheet:SO37NE
Grid Reference:SO 3937 7658

Related records

01169Related to: Earthwork c 420m SSW of Broadward Bridge (Monument)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

  • ESA3049 - 1852 Excavation of Broadward Tumulus
  • ESA3050 - 1973 field observation by the Ordnance Survey

Description

A conical motte of small dimensions (mistakenly also listed as a tumulus in VCH Salop I) <1a>
Tumulus at Broadward opened, nothing found <1b>
A small motte on the W bank of the River Clun with base diameters of 32m NW/SE and 27m transversely, a height of 3m on the NW side stepping up to 3.5m on the SE side and a summit measuring 18m NW/SE by 10m transversely. No traces of a surrounding ditch, which would probably have long ago have been silted up by river floodwaters, or of a bailey. The motte is tree covered and in good condition. OS FI 1973 <1>

Owner/ tenant in 1985 opined that it was under medium term threat of river erosion <3>

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

Scheduled in 2000. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes the earthwork and buried remains of a motte castle, situated within the flood plain of the River Clun from which there are extensive views of the surrounding area. It is situated roughly midway between the motte castles at Leintwardine and Clungunford, which are the subject of separate schedulings, and which also occupy land next to the River Clun. All three castles would appear to have controlled crossing points across the lower downstream portion of the river. ->

-> The flat-topped, steep-sided oval mound measures approximately 27m by 32m at its base, 11m by 14m across the top and stands up to 3.5m high. The size of the mound indicates it was only large enough to support a watch tower. Although no longer visible at ground level, except where it is cut by the river, a ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument, surrounds the mound. The exposed section of the ditch indicates that is about 5m wide and lm deep, and has been infilled with riverine sediments. A limited excavation of the mound was conducted in the mid-19th century in the belief that it was a burial mound. No burials or artefacts were found during this investigation <5>

Photographed during aerial survey in 2009. <7>


<00> Shropshire County Council SMR, Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards, SMR Card for PRN SA 03347 (Card index). SSA20722.


<01b> Anon, 1852, Archaeologia Cambrensis, p206 (Volume). SSA8564.


<01a> Victoria County History, 1908, Victoria County History 1, p385 with plan (Volume). SSA178.


<01> Ordnance Survey, 1973, Ordnance Survey Record Card SO37NE42 (Card index). SSA8565.


<02> Musson Chris R, 1987-Jan-03, CPAT 87/MB/0116 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA17148.


<03> Roberts, 1985, Letter, 1985, (VERBAL COMMUNICATION). SSA8566.


<04> Horton Wendy B, 1990/ 1991, MPP Evaluation File (TEXT). SSA20084.


<05> English Heritage, 2000, Scheduling Papers (New Scheduling, 07/07/2000) (Scheduled Monument notification). SSA21289.


<06> Musson Chris R, 2000-Mar-05, CPAT 00/MB/2001 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA21427.


<07> Shropshire Council, 2009-Mar-20, SA0906_73 to SA0906_79 (7 photos) Flight: 09_SA_06 (Oblique aerial photograph). SSA26094.

Sources

[00]SSA20722 - Card index: Shropshire County Council SMR. Site and Monuments Record (SMR) cards. SMR record cards. SMR Card for PRN SA 03347.
[01a]SSA178 - Volume: Victoria County History. 1908. Victoria County History 1. Victoria County History of Shropshire. Vol 1. p385 with plan.
[01b]SSA8564 - Volume: Anon. 1852. Archaeologia Cambrensis. Archaeologia Cambrensis. Ser 2, Vol 3. p206.
[01]SSA8565 - Card index: Ordnance Survey. 1973. Ordnance Survey Record Card SO37NE42 . Ordnance Survey record cards. SO37NE42 .
[02]SSA17148 - Oblique aerial photograph: Musson Chris R. 1987-Jan-03. CPAT 87/MB/0116. Black and White. Medium.
[03]SSA8566 - VERBAL COMMUNICATION: Roberts. 1985. Letter, 1985, .
[04]SSA20084 - TEXT: Horton Wendy B. 1990/ 1991. MPP Evaluation File.
[05]SSA21289 - Scheduled Monument notification: English Heritage. 2000. Scheduling Papers (New Scheduling, 07/07/2000). 32321.
[06]SSA21427 - Oblique aerial photograph: Musson Chris R. 2000-Mar-05. CPAT 00/MB/2001. Black and White. Medium.
[07]SSA26094 - Oblique aerial photograph: Shropshire Council. 2009-Mar-20. SA0906_73 to SA0906_79 (7 photos) Flight: 09_SA_06. Colour. Digital.
Date Last Edited:Jan 29 2019 3:21PM