| Summary : Earthwork remains of Ashperton Castle, originally a late 13th century crenellated house. The site is now marked by a moated island with a roughly rectangular enclosure to the east, possibly a bailey. The earthwork remains of fishponds may also survive. The stonework was removed from the site in the late 18th century. Historic England reconnaissance photographs taken in July 2018 showed a double ditched enclosure immediately to the northwest, presumably part of the same complex.
|
| More information : (SO 641415) Castle (NR) (Site of) (NAT) (1)
The site of Ashperton Castle is marked by a moated island with a roughly rectangular enclosure to the E (see plan). The stonework was destroyed in the late 18th century. William de Grandison had license to strengthen and crenellate his house within a park (3)
at Ashperton in 1292 (2). The adjoining lands are known by the name of the "Lassins", and in them are hollows which appear to have been fishponds. A neighbouring wood is also called Ashperton Park (Name at SO 643 410). (2-3)
(SO 6416 4450) The moated site of Ashperton Castle is as described. It is situated in a shallow valley, and a stream has been dammed to supply the water for the moat. To the East, an L-shaped depression, now some 12.0m wide and 1.0m deep carries the stream which feeds the moat, and may have been a fish-pond, or the surrounding ditch of a bailey-like enclosure.Published survey (25") revised. (4)
Listed by Cathcart King and Shoesmith. (5-6)
Historic England oblique reconnaissance photographs taken 3rd July 2018 show a double-ditched feature on the northwestern side of the moat, defining an area up to 90 metres across. The inner ditch is the more regular of the two, consisting of two broadly straight lengths of ditch meeting at an angle. The outer ditch appears to diverge from the inner on the western side. The cropmarks are visible on Google Earth historical imagery of various dates, but are clearest on images dated 13th July 2013. (7, 8)
|