More information : (SO34786344) Castle Mound. (1)
A mound, unclassified by RCHM, but scheduled as a round barrow (3), on the S side of Hindwell Brook, is circular and about 40 yds in diameter. It rises, at most, some 8 ft above the surrounding dry ditch, which has an average depth of 6 3/4 ft. (2-3)
A "tumulus row, called Bannetts", at Combe (4).
Rees shows the symbol for a "small fortress, fortified manor house or castle site abandoned by the 14th century" at Combe. (5)
SO34776344: This mound is now very mutilated and rises only 1.6m above the ditch, which is now 1.1m deep. It has a diameter of 20.0m across its flat top, and from its position alongside the Hindwell Brook in the middle of the Lugg valley it is perhaps a much denuded motte.
Resurveyed at 1:2500. (6)
SO 348635. Motte, very low. (7)
SO 348635. Tumulus 250 yds (230 m) N.E. of Combe House. Scheduled monument. (8)
Additional references. (9)
Medieval motte and bailey mapped from good quality air photographs.
The following features were identified:-
Probable Medieval motte, seen as earthworks. Morphological description: one large (50m), round mound with encircling ditch or moat, centred at SO 3477 6344. A linear ditched feature abuts the moat on its north-west side and may be the remnants of an outer bailey. (Morph No. MU.8.1.1-2)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database. (10)
Additional references. (11-12)
The castle probably existed in the 12th century, and probably suffered the same fate as Presteigne Castle, which was sacked by the Welsh at Christmas 1262 and never rebuilt. The motte is at most 5 feet high and 50 feet across, and there is evidence of a ditch 15 feet wide and 3 feet deep. To the west is the earthwork remains of a rectangular bailey visible as a low bank and ditch bisecting a field. It undoubtedly foremly had wet defences. (13) |