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Monument Types

• MOTTE? (Late Anglo Saxon to Early Medieval - 850 AD to 1349 AD)

Summary

In 1798 Nichols recorded the mound here, which was excavated twice in the C19th. It is thought to be the motte of a castle though excavations apparently found Roman remains. According to Nichols it was 12 yards high and the diameter of the top was 16 yards.

Additional Information

<1> Historic England, National Heritage List for England, https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1012568 (Website). SLE7874.

Extract from Scheduled Monument description:
"The motte at Kibworth Harcourt survives in good condition and, apart from some small-scale excavation, the mound is essentially undisturbed and has considerable potential for the survival of archaeological evidence.
DETAILS:
The motte at Kibworth Harcourt is situated within the village, 40m east of the main Leicester Road. The monument comprises a flat-topped, irregularly shaped mound surrounded by a ditch. The mound measures approximately 35m in its largest dimension and up to 4m high from the bottom of the surrounding ditch. The top is an irregularly shaped area measuring a maximum of 22m. A dry ditch up to 2m deep and 8m wide surrounds the mound with the exception of the north side where it has been partly filled. An entrance causeway 6m wide is situated on the south-west side. Two large depressions on the north and south sides of the mound are the result of 19th-century excavations. Some stonework within the mound was recorded at the time of these investigations."

<2> Nichols J, The History and Antiquities of Leicestershire, Vol 2 pt 2 (1798), p639 (Bibliographic reference). SLE7.

Nichols (1798) records a large mount about 40 yards south of the village of Kibworth Harcourt. It has a single ditch 122 yards in circumference. The height of the slope is 12 yards, the diameter of the flat surface on top is 16 yards. About 40 yards north-west of the moat is the appearance of an old ditch running about 55 yards north-east and south-west, the slope of which is but 3 or 4 yards.

<3> Gentleman's Magazine, Vol 7 pt 1 (1837), p641 (Journal). SLE3155.

In or around 1837 a mound (probably this one but just possibly 69SE Z) was excavated. The section was 1. rich soil; 2. still clay (4 feet thick); 3. burnt layer - thin but wide; 4. in the centre a pavement of large pebbles - burnt with burnt bones and pottery; 5. clay; 6. burnt layer and two pavements 7 yards apart, one in the centre and one on the west (both burnt); 7. natural. Each layer 'assumes an arch on approaching the outside' and, therefore, there must first have been a bank marking out the site.

<4> Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, 1870, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 2, Vol 2 (1869), p244-5 (Journal). SLE4983.

In 1863 the mound was again excavated, this time by Leics Archaeol Soc, again may be 69SE Z. A cutting 8 or 9' deep was made, At 5' was a layer of black soil (with ashes and burnt wood, bones, teeth and one or two pieces of Roman pottery. On same (?) level a pavement of large stones about 4' x 2', a bone bodkin and an iron candlestick. At 8-9' a regular layer of black soil - natural? (This according to an anonymous newspaper report). Trollope says the pottery was Samian ware.

<5> Leicestershire SMR Comment, PL (undated) (Unpublished document). SLE7870.

The site was visited in the 1980 by PL and 1982 by APC and found to be well preserved, under grass. There were no signs of a ditch.

<6> 1977-8, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 53, Vol 53 (1978), p38 (Journal). SLE5951.

Cantor (1978) considered it to be a Norman motte.

<7> Elkin, Kathleen (ed), 2015, Medieval Leicestershire: Recent Research on the Medieval Archaeology of Leicestershire, p138, "Medieval fortified sites of Leics & Rutland", Richard Knox (Bibliographic reference). SLE5149.

"A large, flat topped mound, known as 'The Munt', lies just south of the village. It is 4m high and up to 35m wide with a flat top 25m across. A single ditch up to 2m deep and 8m wide surrounds it, with an entrance causeway to the south-west. No evidence of a bailey survives.
"There are records of excavations revealing stone work in an unspecified mound in Kibworth in c.1837 and 1863, and English Heritage attribute the large depressions on the north and south sides of the mound to this, but Creighton (1997, 29) thinks it is likely to have been a windmill mound close by that was actually excavated. Wood (2010, 119-20) believes that Nichols' description (1798, 639) provides fair certainty that a castle existed here with similar dimensions to Hallaton and Gilmorton."

<8> Hartley, RF, 2018, The medieval earthworks of south and south-east Leicestershire, p80 (Bibliographic reference). SLE5736.

"South of the High Street of Kibworth Harcourt (where markets were held until the 18th century) is a low flat-topped mound (a), with the summit area about 25m in diameter, surrounded by a ditch (b). This may have been a Norman motte or defensive strongpoint, although the site is not strategically chosen, being overlooked from the west side. However the context of the site was altered in the late 18th century by the construction of the turnpike road, bypassing the village centre. There are indications of ridge and furrow immediately south of the mound. A relatively recent ditch and fence (c) cut through it to form the southern boundary of the present field."

<9> 2016, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning (Website). SLE4981.

SUMMARY: "The earthworks of a Medieval motte and bailey. The bailey survives as very slight earthworks. Alleged Roman pottery was also recovered. The motte is a flat-topped, irregularly shaped mound, approximately 35 metres maximum width and up to 4 metres high, surrounded by a ditch up to 2 metres deep and 8 metres wide except on the north side where it has been partly filled. The top is an irregularly shaped area measuring a maximum of 22 metres. An entrance causeway 6 metres wide is situated on the south-west side. Two large depressions on the north and south sides of the mound may be the result of 19th century excavations, though there is some debate amongst scholars as to whether these early investigations were not in fact at a windmill mound situated at SP 687 949. Scheduled."
URL: 'https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/NRHE/RecordDetail.aspx?pageid=45&he_uid=342379', accessioned 13/05/2025.

<10> Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 (6") and 10K historic mapping, 1928-50 (Map). SLE7243.

[SP 6807 9449] Motte [G.T.]

<11> Russell, P, 1934, A Leicestershire Road, p16-17 (Bibliographic reference). SLE6200.

The mound is a Norman motte and the ditch to the N.W. may be part of the defences of the usual bailey. Some part of the trench mentioned by Nichols must have been destroyed by the construction of the road to the W. of the mound in 1810, though a portion still remains. In other parts the surrounding village has encroached on the bailey.

<12> Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, Field Investigators Comments, F D Colquhoun/02-MAR-1972 (Website). SLE3488.

A low ditched motte in excellent condition - the former bailey is now occupied by modern development and only slight evidence of an original rampart can be identified (as surveyed) and this has a modern terraced building platform to the south. Leicester Museum have not been able to trace the finds made during the excavation. Published survey (1:2500) revised.

<13> Scheduled Monument List/Amendment, English Heritage SAM Amendment Leicestershire 16-NOV-1992 (Scheduling record). SLE7368.

SP 6807 9448. Motte in Hall Field.
A flat-topped, irregularly-shaped mound, approximately 35m in maximum width and up to 4m high, surrounded by a ditch up to 2m deep and 8m wide except on the north side where it has been partly filled. The top is an irregularly shaped area measuring a maximum of 22m. An entrance causeway 6m wide is situated on the south-west side. Two large depressions on the north and south sides of the mound are the result of C19th excavations. Scheduled (RSM) No 17046.

<14> Cathcart King, DJ, 1982, Castellarium Anglicanum: an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Vol I: Anglesey to Montgomery, p254 (Bibliographic reference). SLE4995.

Listed by Cathcart King.

<15> 1997, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 71, Vol 71 (1997), p29 (Journal). SLE5945.

Creighton notes that there may be some confusion as to the location of the 19th century excavations: these may have actually been at a windmill mound based on an earlier barrow, situated at SP 687 949 and not at the motte.

Sources

Associated Finds

None recorded

Designations

• Conservation Area: Kibworth Harcourt
• Scheduled Monument 1012568: MOTTE IN HALL FIELD

Associated Images

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