Monument Type(s):

• MOTTE (12th century to 14th century - 1100 AD? to 1399 AD?)

Summary

Medieval Motte, roughly circular in plan with the substantial remains of a 14th century rectangular masonry keep on the summit.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA5010 - 1996 Condition survey by English Heritage in advance of repair works at Hopton Castle
• ESA6011 - 2005 Geophysical Survey of Hopton Castle, Shropshire by Stratascan
• ESA6305 - 2006 archaeological and architectural analysis of the Tower at Hopton Castle, Shropshire by Richard K Morriss
• ESA6307 - 2005 Earthwork survey at Hopton Castle, Shropshire by English Heritage

Description

The motte stands 2m above outside ground level and has a base diameter of 32m. The surrounding ditch, largely eroded away (by flooding?) is 8m in width and up to 1m in depth.<1>

The motte is roughly circular in plan with a base diameter of 33m and rises 2m above the surrounding ground surface to a flat summit 20m in diameter. The substantial remains of a 14th century rectangular masonry keep stand on the summit of the motte. The keep has doorways in its north and west sides, the west door being designed to give access to the inner bailey. The remains of a causeway project into the motte ditch below the west door, this may represent the site of a drawbridge. A ditch up to 8m wide and lm deep surrounds the motte and remains visible as an earthwork throughout most of its circuit. A section some 20m long around the north east side has been largely eroded away, probably as a result of periodic flooding by the stream to the north. <2>

The 13th or early 14th century tower has visual similarities to a Norman Keep, suggesting the style was deliberately archaic when it was built. As a result the mound on which the tower stands, was possibly in part thrown around the tower base in order to emulate the appearance of a motte. In addition the appearance of the motte is mainly gained from the excavation of a deep ditch. It may however have been a motte possibly founded in the 12th century cut down and modified for the later tower. The motte was damaged during the Civil War by undermining. <3>

Geophysical survey in 2005 found the castle motte was defined by a clear area of low resistance. It includes a high resistance response in the SW quadrant, possibly indicating stone remains. Possible evidence of industrial remains were identified on the northern and western slopes. <4>

<01> Ordnance Survey, 1976, Ordnance Survey Record Card SO37NE27 (Card index). SSA4643.

<02> English Heritage, 1995, Scheduling Papers (Revised Scheduling, 22/07/1995) (Scheduled Monument notification). SSA4645.

<03> Bowden M, 2005, Hopton Castle, Shropshire: a survey of the earthworks (Field survey report). SSA23332.

<04> Elks D, 2005, Geophysical Survey Report, Hopton Castle, Shropshire (Geophysical survey report). SSA22428.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.