| HER Number (PRN): | 05807 |
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| Name: | Ditch of Oswestry Castle |
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| Type of Record: | Monument |
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| Protected Status: | Conservation Area: Oswestry |
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Monument Type(s):
- CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
- DITCH? (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
Summary
Investigations in the 1980s suggested an 'outer' ditch to Oswestry Castle, but it has not been further substantiated.
| Parish: | Oswestry, Oswestry, Shropshire |
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| Map Sheet: | SJ22NE |
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| Grid Reference: | SJ 2900 2980 |
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Related records
| 05782 | Part of: Oswestry Castle (Monument) |
Associated Finds: None recorded
Associated Events: None recorded
Description
Excavation in 'Site 3' 1986 in Horse Market by Manchester University revealed evidence for a bank, with ditch between it and the motte (cf SA332). Interpreted as ditch around the motte and an outer bank, both under Horse Market, with deeper ditch to W <1>
CMHTS Comment:- Ditch of castle, part of component SA5782 <2>
CMHTS Report <3>
This investigation appears to be referred to in a later ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey report on the environs of Oswestry Castle, undertaken in 2018. It reports that the excavations (date given as 1985) reportedly uncovered what was believed to be a bank and ditch associated with the castle. The value of this evidence is limited by the small scale of the excavation and lack of a definitive section profile showing the bank and ditch. It may be the case that traces of a bank and ditch are present beneath the market or car park, but it is unclear to what extent the remains may have been affected by the 19th-century landscaping. ->
-> The GPR survey failed to identify any clear indication of a ditch-like feature during survey of the Horse Market/car park.The survey is suggested as having eliminated the possibility that the mound is surrounded by a distinct and clearly differentiated ditch containing strongly contrasting fill located within the car park. It is not impossible that a ditch containing clean earthen fill would offer little contrast with the surrounding natural soil, or that it could be too shallow to be distinguished from later superficial disturbances. These may be questions which can only be resolved by further investigations. <4>
Sources
| [01] | SSA1536 - Excavation report: Worthington Margaret. 1989. Oswestry Castle and Town Wall: report on the excavations in 1988. Univ Manchester Extra Mural Department Rep. p5,Fig 5. |
| [02] | SSA19971 - Record form: Dalwood Hal. 1993/ 1996. CMHTS SMR Records Shropshire: Oswestry. Central Marches Historic Towns Survey record form. Vol 8. Oswestry 5807. |
| [03] | SSA12079 - Historic landscape survey report: Dalwood Hal et al. 1996. Archaeological Assessment of Oswestry, Shropshire (CMHTS). Hereford & Worcester CAS Rep. Rep 333. |
| [04] | SSA31465 - Geophysical survey report: Bartlett A D H and Matthews C. 2018. Oswestry Castle: report on archaeological geophysical survey using ground penetrating radar. Bartlett-Clark Consultancy Rep. |
| Date Last Edited: | Nov 11 2020 11:19AM |
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