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CASTLE BANK

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DESCRIPTION

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Medieval motte and bailey castle surviving as an earthwork, partly mutilated. The motte, nearly 30 feet in diameter across the summit, stands 10 feet above the surrounding ditch which is 2 feet deep on the north east, but has largely disappeared elsewhere. The bailey, which conforms to the shape of the hill, is defined by a 6 foot scarp. Excavations across the ditch in 1965 revealed pottery dating from 1200-1300, and a post hole. The castle was probably abandoned in the early 14th Century. Scheduled.

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(SO 45029845) Castle Bank (NAT)
Motte & Bailey (NR). (1)

The motte and bailey castle at Woolstaston stands on a gentle hill west of the church. The motte, nearly 30 ft in diameter across the summit, stands 10 ft above a surrounding ditch which is 2 ft deep on the NE, but has largely disappeared elsewhere. The bailey, which conforms to the shape of the hill, is defined by a 6 ft scarp. (2)

A section excavated in 1965 across the ditch of the motte uncovered a substantial amount of late 12th and early 13th century pottery and revealed a post-hole on the outer lip of the ditch which may have belonged to a bailey palisade. The absence of later pottery was taken to indicate abandonment of the site by the early 14th century, and this was confirmed by documentary evidence. (3)

This motte and bailey is as described. Construction of a reservoir near the N corner of the bailey has led to mutilation of the bailey
scarp nearby.
25" plan revised. (4)

Full report on the 1965 excavation. The pottery recovered spans the period 1200-1300. (5)

Castle mound and bailey Scheduled: Salop No.49. (6)(7)

The motte and bailey castle at Woolstaston is clearly visible on good quality air photographs and was mapped during the Marches Uplands NMP. (8)

Listed by Cathcart King. (9)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1954

( 2) edited by William Page 1908 The Victoria history of Shropshire: volume one

The Victoria history of the counties of England (Wall & Downman) Page(s)402, PLAN

( 3) General reference

Shropshire News Letter No 29 Dec 1965 (RT Rowley) Page(s)3-4

( 4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 DJC 13-DEC-72

( 5) Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society

(Rowley T) 60, 1975-6 Page(s)75-9

( 6) English Heritage 1987 County list of Scheduled Ancient Monuments : December 1987

Salop Page(s)14

( 7) English Heritage 1995 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1994

Salop Page(s)14

( 8) Oblique aerial photograph reference number

CUCAP W124 24-JUN-1957

( 9) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

2 Page(s)433

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