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Summary

Post-medieval garden terracing is located around the south and west sides of Totnes Castle motte.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1014607: Totnes Castle

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86SW/20/1/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• GARDEN TERRACE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD)

Full description

Brown, S., 1998, Totnes Castle: An Archaeological Desk-based Assessment (Report - Assessment). SDV346119.

Stewart Brown Associates, 1999, Totnes Castle Landslip 1999: Archaeological Watching Brief and Recording (Report - Watching Brief). SDV342915.

Post-medieval garden terracing is located around the south and west sides of Totnes Castle motte. Terrace walls date largely from the late 19th and early 20th century but some represent re-facings and repair of earlier, earth-bonded walls. Some of these earlier walls had suffered partial collapse and slippage as early as the 17th century or 18th century. Walls founded on narrow steps cut into the motte slope. Excluding wall at motte base, none had deep foundations. Slump material suggests soil imported onto motte to create terraces. Further layer of slump material at base of slope contained pottery dating to circa 1720-1750. A rubbish pit cut through this layer produced a large group of pottery dating from the same period. This suggests the terrace was extensively remodelled in early 18th century. Documentary evidence shows that terraces existed on the motte by the early 17th century.

Brown, S. + Gent T., 1999, Totnes Castle Motte: Archaeological Watching Brief and Evaluation (Report - non-specific). SDV348097.

Geotechnical investigations in 1999 following a landslide. Terracing had caused considerable slippage and slumping on the surface of the motte material, resulting in the accumulation of clay and claysilt deposits lower down slope, some overlying post-medieval features. Topsoil contains numerous 19th century and 20th century finds. Building waste in the soil derived from the demolition of early terrace walls and/or structures on the motte side, or carried to site for levelling purposes. Soil was imported to provide a good growing medium.

Brown, S. + Gent T., 1999, Totnes Castle Motte: Archaeological Watching Brief and Evaluation (Report - non-specific). SDV348097.

Brown, S., 1999, Totnes Castle Terrace Walls: An Archaeological Assessment, 4 (Report - Assessment). SDV346121.

From the mid 16th century onwards deeds, leases and rentals refer to plots extending across the ditch and up the motte side, which were attached to town properties fronting the High Street. The plots changed hands, were merged and adapted for various purposes in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Figure 1. Map object also based on this source.

Devon Archaeological Society, 1999, Totnes revealed- new evidence of the early town and its defences, 1 (Article in Serial). SDV350890.

In mid-January, a landslip occurred on the south-west side of Totnes Castle motte. The slip and ensuing safety works have revealed a sequence of deposits spanning late Saxon to early Norman times, a sequence crucial to the understanding of the castle’s origins and also of considerable important to the study of Totnes town’s development.

The slippage was in an area of post-medieval garden terracing extending around the south and west sides of the mote.

Brown, S. + Gent T., 2001, Totnes Castle Motte: Archaeological Watching Brief and Evaluation, 1 (Report - non-specific). SDV348107.

The stability improvement works in 2000 comprised three new retaining walls built across the bottom, middle and top of the area of the 1999 landslip. The bottom and middle walls were built in the same positions as two of the post-medieval terrace walls that collapsed during the landslip. The upper wall was built immediately in front of the existing uppermost terrace wall.

Brown, S., 2002, Totnes Castle: An Archaeological Evaluation (Report - Evaluation). SDV346116.

Brown, S., 2008, Totnes Castle Archaeological Watching Brief (Report - Watching Brief). SDV346117.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4961 - Archaeological Evaluation at Totnes Castle
• EDV4962 - Archaeological Watching Brief at Totnes Castle
• EDV5528 - Evaluation and Watching Brief, Totnes Castle

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