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Historic England Research Records

Dorstone Castle

Hob Uid: 106116
Location :
County of Herefordshire
Dorstone
Grid Ref : SO3122041650
Summary : Remains of a motte and bailey, extant as late as circa 1390. The site was seen as earthworks and mapped from aerial photographs. The motte is oval in shape, 61m by 56m across the base; it has a flat top rising to about 8.5m above the bottom of the surrounding dry ditch which has an outer bank towards the stream. The motte is unusually large in both its overall size and the flat space available on its summit. The kidney -shaped bailey adjoins the motte ditch on the north east and has remains of a ditch on its south side. A geophysical survey of the motte summit suggested the existence of former buildings. A number of rectilinear anomalies were identified, possibly relating to a number of individual rooms within one building rather than a number of seperate buildings. It is claimed that a curvilinear anomally around the motte crest probably relates to a former wall or shell keep. Scheduled.
More information : (SO 31224165) Castle Tump (NAT) Motte and Bailey (NR). (1)

Dorstone Castle, motte and bailey (see plan). The motte is of oval form, 67 yds by 61 yds across the base; it has a flat top rising to about 28ft above the bottom of the surrounding dry ditch which has an outer bank towards the stream. The kidney-shaped bailey adjoins the motte-ditch on the NE and has remains of a ditch on its S side. The former scarp on the E has been largely destroyed by buildings and gardens. (2)

No change. A scarp slope and ditch to the SW of the motte suggests that the bailey extended to include this area. Published survey 25" revised. (3)

Castle mentioned c1390 and ordered to be held against [Owain] Glendower in 1403. (4)

Additional reference. (5)

The tree masked remains of the motte and bailey described by the previous authorities was seen as an earthwork and mapped from aerial photographs. (6)

Additional references. (7-9)
Sources :
Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1964
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Source details : F1 MHB 22-SEP-71
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Source Number : 4
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Page(s) : 205, 215FN
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Vol(s) : 1, 1983
Source Number : 4a
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Source details : Rev CJ Robinson. 1869. The Castles of Herefordshire.
Page(s) : 42-3
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Source Number : 5
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Page(s) : 236, PLAN
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : RAF 106G/UK/1652/2294-5 11-JUL-1946
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Source Number : 7
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Page(s) : 88-90
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Source Number : 8
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : Phillips, N. 2006. 'The Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250' BAR.
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Monument Types:
Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Extant c1390
Monument End Date : 1400
Monument Start Date : 1380
Monument Type : Motte And Bailey
Evidence : Earthwork
Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Held in 1403
Monument End Date : 1403
Monument Start Date : 1403
Monument Type : Motte And Bailey
Evidence : Earthwork
Components and Objects:
Related Records from other datasets:
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (County No.)
External Cross Reference Number : HW 138
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : Scheduled Monument Legacy (National No.)
External Cross Reference Number : 27514
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Hereford & Worcestershire)
External Cross Reference Number : 1559
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : MORPH2
External Cross Reference Number : MU.77.1
External Cross Reference Notes :
External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SO 34 SW 16
External Cross Reference Notes :
Related Warden Records :
Related Activities :
Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1971-09-22
End Date : 1971-09-22
Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 1993-01-01
End Date : 1994-12-31