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Summary

Remains of a late Saxon or early Medieval castle or fortified manor house, depicted on 19th century map as an earthwork. It comprises an inner oval enclosure defined by low bank; possible site of buildings in centre and in north-west corner; and outer enclosure defined by low bank.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1016217: Castle 175m north of Stone Barton

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 34981
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS71SW/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 512
• Old SAM Ref: 30322
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS71SW1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CASTLE (VII to XII - 700 AD to 1200 AD (Between))

Full description

Wall, J. C., 1906, Ancient Earthworks, 604 (Article in Monograph). SDV341465.

Imperfect remains of ramparts without ditches; entrance to west. A simple defensive enclosure with remains of hut circles within. A mound exists s of the entrance. Other details: Plan.

English Heritage, 1951, Tavistock (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV336170.

'Castle (Site of)' shown on 19th century map as an earthwork in the south-west corner of the field.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: North Devon, 68 (Monograph). SDV336196.

Scanty ruins of the 13th century castle of Isabella de Fortibus, Countess of Devon.

Hoskins, W. G., 1954, A New Survey of England: Devon, 368 (Monograph). SDV17562.

The substantial remains of an earthwork exist on a promontory. In Westcot's day a ruined heap of stones could be seen. It may have been a small hillfort adapted later to an early Medieval castle or fortified house.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1961 - 1970, SS71SW1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV345093.

Complex earthworks, Medieval in date, probably the remains of a castle or fortified manor house. It consists of a polygonal enclosure formed by a scarp 0.3 - 0.7 metres high, reaching 1.6 metres on the west side. The turf foundation of several rooms extends along the west side. Near the north-west corner is the original entrance flanked by rooms in the manner of a gatehouse. The interior is flat except for a poorly defined rectangular platform. A gap in the south-west corner is probably modern. No sign of surrounding moat. Numerous banks and scarps without, 0.2 - 0.5 metres high suggest associated steading or habitation sites.

Ministry of Public Building and Works, 1963, Site of Castle at Stone Barton (Schedule Document). SDV345092.

Site of a castle at Stone Barton. Inner oval enclosure, defined by low bank. Possible site of buildings in centre and also in north-west corner. Outer enclosure defined on north and east sides only by low bank. Numerous amorphous features in outer enclosure to the east of inner enclosure. Under open pasture.

Higham, R. A., 1979, The Castles of Medieval Devon, 167-168,243,298,315,318, 321 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV336189.

No medieval documentation, but a strong tradition from 17th century of a castle here. No archaeological dating evidence. Although its form is unclear, it was possibly a walled enclosure with towers and a gatehouse. Probably dating to the 14/15th century. Other details: Figure 58.

Bass, R. C. M., 1983, Stone Castle (Un-published). SDV345095.

Notes on historical background including documentary references from the 13th century.

Griffith, F. M., 1985, DAP/EH, 9a (Aerial Photograph). SDV343828.

Griffith, F. M., 1986, Untitled Source (Personal Comment). SDV345094.

Condition good, as description.

Lang, J., 1986, Untitled Source (Correspondence). SDV345096.

Site visited in September 1986 (lang) to examine the traces of ironworking. Some slag taken for analysis by British Museum. The iron working may be fairly recent.

Griffith, F. M., 1995, DAP/YM, 9,10 (Aerial Photograph). SDV39278.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 1997, Castle 175 metres north of Stone Barton (Schedule Document). SDV345097.

Castle 175 metres north of Stone Barton. This monument includes the earthwork remains of a castle, known as a ringwork, situated on top of a high hill with commanding views between two large river valleys to the north and south. Central to the site is a sub-circular enclosed area which measures 38 metres from north to south and 34.2 metres from east to west and is defined by large banks. To the north the banks measure 9.8 metres wide and are up to 1.4 metres high when viewed externally. To the north-west they measure 5.5 metres wide and up to 1.7 metres high externally and 0.7 metres high internally. Some spreading has occurred to a width of some 2.3 metres downslope and this material partly overlies another bank. The enclosure curves round to the west where it attains a width of 8 metres and is 1.3 metres high externally and 0.8 metres high internally. Undulations in height and changes in width would seem to indicate the presence of tumble around stony walls. To the south the area forms a largely flattened bank which measures 5.3 metres wide and 0.1 metres high internally. To the east, the enclosure bank measures 9.7 metres wide and 0.6 metres high. There are some internal features visible within the enclosed area including an elongated bank which runs from the eastern outer bank to the west and peters out. This bank measures 4.5 metres wide and 0.2 metres high. There is also a sub-circular mound in the north-west segment which has a diameter of 6.5 metres and is 0.2 metres high. To the north of the enclosure, downslope and partly overlain by it, is a large curving bank. This measures 3.4 metres wide, 1.8 metres high downslope and 0.4 metres high upslope. It curves around the enclosure and veers off in a south-easterly direction. To the east of this curving bank is a D-shaped spread of material with a hollowed centre. This measures 8.4 metres long and 5.4 metres wide and is 0.6 metres high. To the south of the curving bank lies a circular enclosure which has an internal diameter of 10.2 metres. The enclosing banks measure 4.2 metres wide and up to 0.4 metres high internally. A rectangular structure lies to the east of this enclosure and south of the curving bank. Aligned in an east to west direction and defined by banks, it measures 16.1 metres long by 14.3 metres wide internally. The banks are 3.2 metres wide and 0.3 to 0.5 metres high. A further large bank lies 19 metres to the south of the curving bank. This measures 3.4 metres wide and 0.5 metres high and occupies the south eastern quadrant of the site. To the west of the large enclosure is a sub-rectangular feature defined by stony banks which runs parallel to the western field boundary and appears to partly underlie it. This feature measures 13.2 metres long and 3.2 metres wide internally and is defined by a 0.7 metre wide bank standing up to 0.3 metres high. To the south of the enclosure and partly overlain by material from it, are two banks. The first measures 4.2 metres wide and is 0.4 metres high. It runs south towards the field boundary which cuts it at its southernmost extent. The enclosure decreases in height as it trends towards the south. To the east is the second bank. This measures 9.2 metres wide and 0.6 metres high. It is aligned north-north-west to south-south-easts. Ringworks are Medieval fortifications built and occupied from the late Saxon period to the later 12th century.

National Monuments Record, 2010, 34981 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV345098.

The earthwork remains of a Norman ringwork situated on the top of a high hill with commanding views between two large river valleys to the north and south. Central to the site is a sub-circular enclosed area which measures 38 metres north-south and 34.2 metres east-west and is defined by large banks. There are some internal features visible within the enclosed area including an elongated bank which runs from the eastern outer bank to the west and peters out. There is also a sub-circular mound in the north west segment which has a diameter of 6.5 metres and is 0.2 metres high. The site was possibly occupied by a manor house during the medieval period. Quantities of iron slag have been discovered within the enclosure.

Ordnance Survey, 2010, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV344030.

'Castle (site of)' shown as an earthwork on modern mapping.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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