See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Motte and Bailey set within an Iron Age hillfort. The castle is situated on the western summit of the hillfort interior. The motte consists of a central grass covered mound with an encircling ditch and bank, bailey and outer rampart. The motte is almost perfectly circular at its base, about 32 metres in diameter rising to an oval top offset to the south west quadrant and measuring 19 metres north east to south west by 11 metres overall. The remains of the bailey lie 18 metres beyond the mound.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1003859: Hembury Castle

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SX76NW8
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 444802
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX76NW/1/1
• Old SAM County Ref: 141

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MOTTE AND BAILEY (Constructed, XI to XII - 1001 AD (Between) to 1200 AD (Between))

Full description

Amery, P. F. S., 1873, Some Hitherto Unrecorded Hillfortresses near Ashburton, 265 (Article in Serial). SDV164509.

Within Hembury Castle Camp is a large ditched mound called Danes Castle.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Motte and bailey shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

Shown on early 20th century map.

Victoria County History, 1906, The Victoria History of the County of Devon, 618 (Article in Serial). SDV238214.

The mount locally called Dane's Castle, at the western side of the camp, is some 44 ft. in diameter and 28 ft. high, with a hollow centre 12 ft. deep. A ditch encircles the mount.

Allcroft, A. H., 1908, Earthwork of England, 415-6, Figure 132 (Monograph). SDV11975.

Winbolt, S. E., 1929, Devon, 153-4 (Monograph). SDV171811.

"At the west edge [of Hembury Castle] abutting in true Norman fashion upon the enceinte, is a ditched and ramparted mound of the usual pattern ...".

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1960, SX76NW8 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV171812.

Hembury Castle: an E.I.A. hillfort with what is probably a bell barrow rather than a motte (annotated record map, Sir C. & Lady A. Fox, 1951).
(27/05/1960) The earthwork is within the western part of Hembury Castle (for which see Devon 114 NW 7) centred at SX 7254 6843. The position is suitable for either a motte or a barrow but though badly mutilated by excavation it would seem to be the former. The V.C.H. measurements are completely incorrect, the mound being approximately 30.0 m. in diameter and 3.5 m. high, with a central excavation 1.5 m. deep. There is no berm and an enclosing ditch is 0.8 m. deep. Of particular significance are the remains of an outer bank up to 18.0 m. beyond the mound and with the appearance of a small bailey, the outer one being formed by the hillfort enclosure. A 25" survey has been made.

Higham, R. A., 1979, The Castles of Medieval Devon, 140-1,250,252,257,260,298, 315,317, Figure 43 (Post-Graduate Thesis). SDV336189.

A mid 13th century document describes it as 'the old castle which was called Hembury'. Possibly a campaign castle of the Norman conquest, but is likely to have gone out of use soon after.

Higham, R. A., 1988, Devon Castles: An Annotated List, 144 (Article in Serial). SDV341278.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1988, SX76NW7 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV171764.

(21/07/1988) This Motte and Bailey is situated on the western summit of the hillfort interior (see SX 76 NW 7). The motte consists of a central grass covered mound with encircling ditch and bank, bailey and outer rampart. The motte is almost perfectly circular at its base, about 32m in diameter rising to an oval top offset to the SW quadrant and measuring 19m NE-SW, by 11m overall (for full description see NRHE archive account). Survey at 1:2500 produced.

Higham, R. A. + Freeman, J. P., 1996, Devon Castles (Draft Text), 3, 7 (Monograph). SDV354350.

Griffith, F.M. + Quinnell, H. + Wilkes, E, 2013, Hillforts of Devon, 14-15 (Monograph). SDV352457.

In the western part of the iron age hillfort at Hembury Castle are the remains of a small medieval motte and bailey castle known as 'Dane's Castle'. It is not dated and could have been built in the later 11th or 12th centuries, possibly dating from William the Conquerors campaigns in Devon following the Norman Conquest of AD 1066. A 13th century document refers to Hembury as 'the old castle' suggesting it had long since been abandoned. The medieval castle consists of a motte surrounded by a bailey. The motte is 30 metres in diameter by 3.5 metres high surrounded by a ditch nearly 1.0 metres deep. The motte would have been higher when the castle was built with a timber palisade around the top. The centre of the motte has a depression 1.5 metres deep where a timber tower would have been erected to give further strength to the castle. The curving line of the bailey can be followed to the south, east and north of the motte. Within the bailey domestic buildings and stores may have been erected for use during the period the castle was occupied. On the west side the bailey bank runs into the prehistoric hillfort rampart. The hillfort defensive circuit would have given added protection to the medieval castle.

Ordnance Survey, 2021, MasterMap 2021 (Cartographic). SDV364015.

Outline shown on modern mapping at 'Hembury Castle'.

Historic England, 2021, National Heritage List for England, 1003859 (National Heritage List for England). SDV364016.

Hembury Castle. This monument includes a slight univallate hillfort containing a motte and bailey castle situated on Hembury Hill the watershed between the Holy Brook and the River Dart. Within the hillfort is a motte and bailey castle. It survives as a circular mound up to 30 metres in diameter and approximately 6 metres high with a central depression, surrounded by a partially buried outer ditch. An elliptical platform up to 18 metres long by 10 metres wide lies to the south east of the motte and is thought to represent a small inner bailey, with the hillfort being reused as the outer bailey. Hembury Castle appears on Donn’s map of 1765. A tradition tells of the castle being defended by women who welcomed their enemies then proceeded to stab them overnight.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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