Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Old Castleton
Hob Uid: 104842
Location : County of Herefordshire Clifford
Grid Ref : SO2830045600
Summary : Medieval motte and bailey seen as earthworks. The motte is 40 metres in diameter. The bailey measures 60 metres east to west by 40 metres north to south and is bounded by a large rampart, 11 metres to 20 metres in width and 2 to 4 metres in height internally but rising to 3.5 metres to 4 metres above the base of an outer ditch, 10 metres in width and 1.8 to 3 metres in depth. The original entrance is through the south side. The castle may have been built between 1067 and 1070. Worcester-type cooking pot fragments have been recovered from the spoil of a badger sett on the site and date from 1100 at the earliest. Scheduled.
More information : (SO 283456) Motte and Bailey (NR). (1) A motte and bailey on sloping ground. The motte is 30 feet high on the north (downhill) side, but only 9ft above the crescent-shaped bailey on the south (uphill) side. Two partly natural platforms E and W of the bailey appear to have their scarps steepened artificially and were probably used as outer courts. (2) A motte and bailey situated on the end of a spur, with a stream in a little ravine to the SW and water-meadows to the NW and NE. The motte is as described above and has a diameter of 40.0 m. The bailey measures 60.0m E-W by 40.0m N-S and is bounded (except on the N where there are scarped natural slopes) by a large rampart, 11.0m to 20.0m in width and 2.0m to 4.0m in height internally but rising to 3.5m to 4.0m above the base of an outer ditch, 10.0m in width and 1.8m to 3.0m in depth. The original entrance is through the S side. The outer courts are about 80.0m by 40.0m in area, and as stated above, are bounded by natural slopes which appear to be artificially steepened on most sides. The east court, and the site as a whole, is cut from the rest of the spur by a wide shallow ditch, 13.0m in width, and up to 2.0m in depth. The site is under pasture and is generally in fairly good condition. Published 1:2500 survey revised. (3) A Domesday reference to a Clifford, reputedly the work of William FitzOsbern (suggesting a date of construction between 1067 and 1070), may be attributable to this site, a possible predecessor to the castle established at SO 243456 (SO 24 NW 1). (4) Additional reference. (5) The features described by the previous authorities were mapped at 1:10,000 scale during the Marches Uplands Mapping Project. No new information was added. (Morph No. MU.129.1.1-3) (6) This site was mapped as part of the Clifford Castle Environs Project from lidar images. Possible medieval or post-medieval ridging is visible on the western plateau and eastern scarp that adjoin either side of the crescent-shaped bailey. A small square earthwork (visible on lidar and in shadow on veritcal photographs) at the eastern edge of the base of the motte (SO 2834 4574) could represent a building, but this may be a later addition built into the side of the motte and not related to any medieval occupation of the site. (8-9)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1964
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Source details : F1 ASP 12-JUL-72
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : Carolyn Dyer/20-AUG-1993/RCHME: Marches Upland NMP
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : Phillips, N. 2006. 'The Earthwork castles of Gwent and Ergyng' BAR
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : LIDAR DSM Environment Agency SO2845 05-APR-2006
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : APGB SO2845 12-SEP-2009
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date :
Monument End Date : 1070
Monument Start Date : 1067
Monument Type : Motte And Bailey
Evidence : Earthwork

Monument Period Name : Post Medieval
Display Date : Post Medieval
Monument End Date : 1901
Monument Start Date : 1540
Monument Type : Ridge And Furrow, Building
Evidence : Earthwork

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : HE 44
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Hereford & Worcestershire)
External Cross Reference Number : 1015
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : MORPH2
External Cross Reference Number : MU.129.1
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SO 24 NE 2
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1972-07-12
End Date : 1972-07-12

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 1993-01-01
End Date : 1994-12-31

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2018-01-01
End Date : 2018-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Old Castleton