Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Lower Down Castle
Hob Uid: 107278
Location : Shropshire Lydbury North
Grid Ref : SO3364084600
Summary : Small mutilated motte surviving as an earthwork and fragments of a shell keep surviving as buried foundations. The motte has a base diameter of 34 metres and is 4.7 metres high on the west side, with a summit diameter of about 18 metres. Quarrying for stone has removed most of the east side above 1.8 metres. The surrounding ditch is 6.5 metres in width and from 2.1 metres in depth on the west side and 0.6 metres on the east side. There is a counterscarp bank 0.3 metres high except on the south east. There were no traces of a bailey. The earthwork remains of the site were seen centred at SO 3364 8461 and mapped from aerial photoraphs.
More information : SO 33648460. Tumulus (NR) (1) Remains of a mount (assessed to have been c 20ft high), and ditch. Stones of a well defined work here, were removed a few years ago for road making. (2) Listed as a small stone castle of which only the earthworks remain.(3) SO 33648460. Castle Mound (NR) (4) A small, mutilated motte situated upon the hilltop above Lydbury North. It has a base diameter of 34.0m, height on the W side 4.7m, and summit diameter about 18.0m. Quarrying for loose stone, of which the motte is largely built, has removed most of the E side above a height of 1.8m. The surrounding ditch is 6.5m in width and from 2.1m in depth on the W side to 0.6m on the E side. There is a counterscarp bank 0.3m high except on the SE. There are no traces of a bailey. Published 1:2500 survey revised. (5) An iron axehead, ? human tooth and part of glazed earthenware handle of 15th/16th century found in 1909 about four feet from the summit in a band of clay by Mr Edwards of Bishop's Castle. No proper search was made when most of the mound was carted away to level a farmyard. (6) SO 336846. Lower Down Castle. There are traces of a polygonalshell keep on the motte. Ditches and banks, possibly outlining the bailey, extend to the north and east and shallow earthworks to the east probably represent buildings. Scheduled. (7) At the summit of the motte, on the west side traces of a shell keep, comprising a 2.0m. length of exposed drystone walling, built of small flagstones, standing out of the turf to a maximum height of 0.15m. can now be recognised. At the north end the walling turns through a 120 degrees corner before fading out, but there are insufficient remains of the motte to determine how big the keep was. New detail insufficient to alter current survey. (For earthworks to the north and east of the motte, see deserted Medieval village remains SO 38 SW 3). (8) SO 336 846. Lower Down Castle. Scheduled. (9) The earthwork remains of the small motte described by the previous authorities were seen centred at SO 3364 8461 and mapped from aerial photographs. (10-11) Additional reference. (12)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1928
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : (JC Wall)
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Vol(s) : 1908

Source Number : 11
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Source details : NMR SO 3384/5-6 03-JAN-1987
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Source Number : 12
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Page(s) : 426-7
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : (A Hogg & C King)
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : OS 6" 1964
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Source Number : 5
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Source details : F1 ASP 14-DEC-73
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Source Number : 6
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Source details : Shrewsbury Library 6"
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Source Number : 7
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Source details : DOE (IAM) Record Form 7.11.78
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Source Number : 8
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Source details : F2 ASP 07-FEB-80
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : Salop
Page(s) : 22
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Source Number : 10
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Source details : NMR SO 3384/1-4 23-NOV-1983
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Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : Medieval
Display Date : Medieval
Monument End Date : 1540
Monument Start Date : 1066
Monument Type : Motte, Shell Keep
Evidence : Earthwork, Sub Surface Deposit

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Shropshire)
External Cross Reference Number : Salop 166
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : MORPH2
External Cross Reference Number : MU.271.1
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SO 38 SW 2
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1973-12-14
End Date : 1973-12-14

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1980-02-07
End Date : 1980-02-07

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 1993-01-01
End Date : 1994-12-31

Historic England Research Records

Lower Down Castle