More information : [SK 5820 1495] Castle [G.T.] Site of [on Castle Hill] (1)
Mountsorrel Castle was probably built by Hugh Lupus c. 1080 (a) and came into the possession of Henry II 1174, though White quotes (b) the latter as the date of erection. The Earl of Chester took it after the Battle of Lincoln and later razed it to the ground (b) (1217?) The site has been largely quarried away, (a) no vestiges of a castle (b) remain. (2)
The sole remaining feature of this motte and bailey-type castle which may be identified with any certainty is a strong ditch extending from SK 5812 1485 - SK 5823 1485. This probably represents the remains of the bailey and serves the dual purpose also of cutting off the promontory upon which the castle is sited. Although there are no traces of the motte to be seen, its site, as suggested by the general lie of the ground, would appear to be that now occupied by a war memorial. (3)
Bailey ditch surveyed at 25" 16.1.61 (4)
According to the Patent Rolls the castle was destroyed in 1217. (5)
A trial excavation was conducted in 1952 and revealed a layer of practically solid building material consisting of baked clay floor tiles, roof slates and baked clay tiles. Quantities of 12th. and 13th. cent. pottery were also found (which corresponds to the castle's occupation). (6)
Report of Authy 3 still applies, though a minor alteration has been caused by modern infilling.
Published survey (25" 1966) revised. (7)
Mountsorrel motte and bailey castle includes a motte and a second mound on the hill top, and the remaining part of the bailey ditch at the foot of the hill to the south. Two natural highpoints of granite on the hill have been adapted within the castle. the northern of these is the roughly circular motte, 2-3m high above the surrounding hill and about 18m diameter at the base but part quarried away. 50m south of this is a second mound, roughly circular, about 2m high above the surrounding hill and about 15m in diameter at the base. On the south side of the hill is the remaining part of the bailey ditch which survives for a length of 60m and about 12m wide and 2m deep. The bailey originally extended to the east and west. (8)
Listed by Cathcart King. (9)
Mounsorrel castle was one of the castles of the earl of Leicester confiscated by Henry II in 1174. In 1215 King John was forced to grant it to Saher de Quency under the terms of Magna Carta. When civil war broke out it held against the King and in 1217 was besieged by a royal army under the Earl of Chester, relieved by the Earl of Winchester with French help, and finally captured and destroyed by the Earl of Chester after the Battle of Lincoln. (10) |