More information : [SE 3660 4333] Castle Hill [G.T.] (1)
"Bardsey, Castle Hill ... an oval motte about 330 ft. long, with deep indentations on each side which divide it into two wards united by an isthmus. The height averages 12 ft. no ditch or outworks are now traceable. It is about two and a half miles from the Roman road. There is no historical mention known of this castle. Parch-marks of foundations have been seen on top of the eastern ward and a trial excavation by Y.A. Mawson, Bardsey Grange, before 1902, revealed walling, human remains and charred wood. Coins and stone [cannon] balls have been found. Traces of a wet ditch were found on the east side of the mound. It is a scheduled Ancient Monument. (2-4)
The earthworks at Castle Hill occupy a good defensive position on a bluff overlooking the low ground to the south and east. They appear to be largely an adaptation of a natural hill formation. The motte is correctly described by Authority (2). There is no trace of a ditch, and the shallow sides, which average 2.6m in height, merge with the surrounding ground level. The western part has been artificially constructed to form a small bailey and the deep central indentations may also have originated in this way. The top is flat, and some stonework is visible at SE 3661 4333 in the partially infilled excavation trench referred to by Authority (4)
Traces of a possible innerbank occur in the western ward. The natural plateau, upon which the motte stands, is enclosed by a scarp, and may constitute a further outer court. In the south-west, this scarp averages 0.8m in height and is well defined. To the north and east it cannot be positively identified as artificial. A sunken occupation road along the northern side to Bardsey range has undoubtedly accentuated it here. In the east, the ground shelves continuously from the base of the motte, and the scarp, which is 1.8m high at this point, could be a feature of the natural slope. Between SE 3674 3336 and SE 3673 4331 a fragment of ditch 0.8m in depth possibly represents the remains of an outer defence work, obliterated elsewhere by modern development. (5)
Condition unchanged. Survey of 7.4.61 checked. (6)
SE 365434. Castle Hill. (7)
Basically as described by authority 5 and surveyed by authority 6. The short length of ditch (at SE 36714336 to SE 36724332) has an apparent outer scarp some 0.7m maximum height and 3m wide on its E side. Published Survey 1:2500 revised. (8)
SE 3660 4333. Castle Hill, Bardsey cum Rigton.
This curious earthwork stands on a low rise to the north of the old church with its Saxon tower. Consisting of an oval mound about 330 feet long, with a deep indentation in the middle of each side dividing it into two wards, this is probably a mount of unusual form. At Domesday, Bardsey was a small royal manor; later the Mowbrays had it and gave it to Kirkstall Abbey. Henry II took the land away from the Abbey to give it, together with Collingham, to Adam de Brus in compensation for the castle at Castleton which was dismantled. Probably de Brus was allowed to raise a small castle here. (9)
SE 3661 4333. Castle Hill motte and bailey castle. Scheduled RSM No 13292 (formerly WY/257). The motte is of unusual form, consisting of two roughly rectangular platforms on an E-W alignment joined by a central causeway. Ditches flank the causeway, which is c.8m wide. The motte itself measures c.100m long by c.30m wide and varies between 1m and 2m high. Partial excavations in the late 19th century and in 1930 revealed the foundations of a square stone keep and pottery dating to the late 12th or early 13th century (c.1175 to c.1200). The motte is situated at the centre of a flat oval bailey.Beyond the bailey scarp lay a 20m wide berm surrounded by an outer ditch, part of which survives on the east side of the site. The outer bailey which would have lain beyond has been largely built over. Platforms on the east side of the site indicate the sites of ancillary buildings within the bailey. These are overlain by ridge and furrow, showing that the site was abandoned early in its history. Almost certainly the castle was built by Adam de Bruce, who was granted the manor of Bardsey shortly after 1175. It reverted to the Crown in 1201 and was subsequently granted to Kirkstall Abbey, to be shortly abandoned. (10)
Listed by Cathcart King. (11)
A Medieval motte, with associated Medieval/post Medieval banks (earthwork) and pits, centred at SE 3660 4333, are visible as earthworks on air photographs. The motte consists of a large sub-rectangular mound (121m by 45m) which is orientated west/east. Towards the middle there is a causeway where two ditches almost divide the mound completely in half. On the larger (easterly) platform there are several pits and some banks (earthwork) which may in fact be evidence of excavations on the site. The latter feature may also indicate the position once occupied by the keep (which is no longer visible on the air photographs). To the west of the motte there is a short section of bank (earthwork).
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